History Main / ThatManIsDead

'''ComicBook/TheJoker:''' Jack? Jack is dead, my friend. But you can call me... the Joker. And as you can see, I'm a lot happier.

May overlap with ArtifactAlias. Compare DoNotCallMePaul and ThirdPersonPerson. Don't confuse with HesDeadJim; in that case, someone is quite literally deceased.

* It's not uncommon for some UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} people to refer to the names they were given at birth as their "dead names", given that they represent a lie they were forced to live and continuing to use their dead name implies that their fake self is preferable to their true gender, which is a supreme insult.

* After Ian Watkins was convicted as a sex offender against children, Lostprophets' remaining members disbanded the band and disowned the name, refusing to play any Lostprophets songs.

* This is basically how being "Born Again" works in Christianity. God "executes" one's old nature (known as "The Flesh," because it's all the basic, temporal instincts that lead one to sin), allowing the supplicant to become a new person in-tune with His will. Baptism is a symbolic Death by Drowning sentence for the [[{{Greed}} selfish]], cruel, [[{{Lust}} liscentious]] "old you." Of course, it doesn't (usually) involve taking on a new name.

* This is basically how being "Born Again" works in Christianity. God "executes" one's old nature (known as "The Flesh," because it's all the basic, temporal instincts that lead one to sin), allowing the supplicant to become a new person in-tune with His will. Baptism is a symbolic Execution by Drowning sentence for the selfish, cruel "old you." Of course, it doesn't (usually) involve taking on a new name.

* This is basically how being "Born Again" works in Christianity. God "executes" one's old nature, allowing the supplicant to become a new person in-tune with His will. Baptism is a symbolic Execution by Drowning sentence for the selfish, cruel "old you." Of course, it doesn't (usually) involve taking on a new name.

* This is basically how being "Born Again" works. God "executes" one's old nature, allowing the supplicant to become a new person in-tune with His will. Baptism is a symbolic Execution by Drowning sentence for the selfish, cruel "old you."

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' proper, Yang and Raven confront each other for possession of the Relic of Knowledge and Yang [[CallingTheOldManOut proceeds to call out her mother over her actions]] leading to this moment. She admits she has no idea who Raven really is outside of Taiyang's recollections of her as a troubled soul who'd fight for what she believed in then questions if she killed that Raven just as easily as she killed [[spoiler:the previous Spring Maiden]].

%%* ThatManIsDead/WesternAnimation

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', the Ice King is a non-voluntary example of this trope. He was driven insane centuries ago and his current identity as the Ice King is a whole other person compared to his original identity, Simon Petrikov. He doesn't seem to remember much about his old life, but he is ashamed of it for seemingly no reason besides that [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking he wore glasses back then.]] In "Betty" [[spoiler:he temporarily reverts to Simon when an AntiMagic villain depowers the crown. Sadly, the crown was also his ImmortalityInducer and Simon starts dying as the centuries catch up to him. Over Simon's protests that he would rather die as Simon than live on as Ice King, Betty defeats the villain and restores the crown's power.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'':
** [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]] eventually quits the Avengers, spurred by a desire to uphold his pacifist beliefs, and by guilt felt for creating ComicBook/{{Ultron}}. He has this exchange with [[ComicBook/TheWasp Janet van Dyne]]:
--->'''Hank:''' I know you can't accept this, but I'm done. I'm done with the Avengers. This isn't me anymore.\\
'''Jan:''' No. You're Ant-Man!\\
'''Hank:''' I'm not, Jan. I haven't been since Ultron, and honestly, probably even before that.
** When Hank becomes Yellowjacket later in the series, he goes so far as to [[spoiler: blow up his own laboratory to make it seem like Hank got murdered, then change his own biosignature]].
** The Winter Soldier also does this, when ComicBook/CaptainAmerica tries to address him by [[ComicBook/BuckyBarnes his former identity]]:
--->'''Winter Soldier:''' You shouldn't have come here.\\
'''Captain America:''' I had to, [[spoiler:Bucky]].\\
'''Winter Soldier:''' Who the hell is [[spoiler:Bucky]]?
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'':
** "The Laughing Bat" when Joker is dressed as Batman.
--->'''Batman:''' The costume party is over, Joker.\\
'''Joker:''' ''[as Batman]'' Joker? Didn't you hear? The Clown Prince of Crime has checked out.
** "Meltdown" had Ethan Bennett/Clayface struggling to not use his powers since they make him insane. Eventually, though he gives up to get revenge on SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker. Batman always refers to him as "Bennett", until the response becomes a sarcastic "Who?"
--->'''Clayface:''' Being Ethan Bennet is hard. Real hard. But being Clayface? It's cake. So say your goodbyes to Ethan Bennet. This is the last you'll ever see of him.
** [[spoiler: However, this became an aversion in a later episode when Clayface saw the error of his ways and became Ethan Bennett again]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'':
** In "Two-Face, Part 2", Grace, Harvey Dent's fiancée, tries to comfort him:
--->'''Grace''': Harvey... ''(puts her hand on his arm)''\\
'''Harvey''': ''(Looks away from her and pulls away)'' My name is Two-Face now...
** "Feat of Clay Part 2" has this with Matt Hagen/Clayface:
--->'''Batman''': Hagen, listen to me.\\
'''Clayface''': There is no Hagen. It's only me now... Clayface.
*** A bit later, when Batman shows Clayface videotapes of his former movie and TV roles and tells him "You can play those roles again Hagen, let me help you find a cure." Clayface outright screams: "No! Hagen's gone, make him stop haunting me!"
** Riddler get this moment in "What is Reality?"
--->'''Riddler''': The name is Riddler! Edward Nygma no longer exists! You may remember that he was fired by an ungrateful employer. That was a private matter and should have remained one.
* In the sequel series ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', Bruce invokes the inverted "I'm not him any more" version:
-->'''Terry:''' You have to do something! You're Batman!\\
'''Bruce:''' I ''was'' Batman.
** Subverted later in "Shriek", where he says that he [[SecretIdentityIdentity doesn't refer to himself as "Bruce" in his own thoughts]], meaning that he does still think of himself as Batman even if he's too old to actively engage in crimefighting.
* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' has this in episode, Operation: S.P.A.C.E.:
-->'''Numbuh 5''': Yeah, you always were good with the 2x4 technology, Numbuh 11.\\
'''Cree''': My name is Cree! And you know that I'm not a member of the stupid Babies Next Door anymore. I'm with the adults now.
** Subverted, in that Cree actually is her name, and Numbuh 11 was an old code name that doesn't apply to her anymore.
* A variation plays off on in this in the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' that finally lets Jack realize that there is no best-friend-from-college-Vlad, there is only a [[AlasPoorVillain villainous man who has unfortunately been corrupted by his own hatred]].
-->'''Vlad:''' You wouldn't turn your back on an old friend, would you?\\
'''Jack:''' An old friend, no. You? ''YES!''
* {{Parodied}} in ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' "[[SuperheroEpisode The Superhero]]":
-->"Because the Dan that built those is dead--or at least on vacation. I--am--'''''[[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate DR.]] [[CardCarryingVillain JERK]]! MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!'''''"
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents: The Secret Origin of Denzel Crocker'', Crocker's mother longs for the way her son used to be:
-->'''Mrs.Crocker:''' [[UsedToBeASweetKid What happened to the little ball of sunshine that used to be my son?]]\\
'''Crocker:''' ''That child no longer exists!''
* Stewie in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' said it best in "Road To Europe".
-->'''Meg:''' Jolly Farm is on, Stewie. Don't you want to watch?\\
'''Stewie:''' The Stewie who loved Jolly Farm is dead, Megan. Meet the Stewie who loves funky fruit hats!
* Antagone in ''WesternAnimation/FriskyDingo'': "Grace Ryan is dead, and now you, Xander Crews, shall join her in... being dead!"
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
** When Bender finds religion in "Hell is Other Robots", he refers to his old, sinful personality in this manner:
--->'''Bender''': The old Bender's gone. He won't trouble you again.
** "The Late Philip J Fry" has [[LiteralMetaphor a rather literal example of this.]] After having gone around the end of the universe and back again, ''twice'', Fry landed on his alternate self when the Professor's time machine arrived back in the present, before rushing to his date with Leela.
--->'''Leela:''' I have to admit, I was afraid you wouldn't make it.\\
'''Fry:''' That was the old Fry. He's dead now.
* The ''WesternAnimation/GerryAndersonsNewCaptainScarlet'' episode "Homecoming" features a particularly grim variant:
-->'''Commander Lewis:''' There was a fire on the ''Endeavor''. Your father abandoned ship, then suffocated in a faulty cryotube, clawing at it like a man buried alive scraping at a coffin lid. He's ''dead''. And he isn't coming back.
* Done in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' "A Tale of Two Stans" by Stan, as he explains how he started the Mystery Shack [[spoiler: by assuming his missing brother's identity and killing off his own.]]
-->"The old me was dead, [[FakingTheDead and I faked a car crash to prove it]]."
** PlayedForLaughs in the final episodes with [[CloudCuckooLander Toby Determined]], who radically changes his way of dressing and declares that from now on, he shall be called "Bodacious T". [[DeadpanSnarker Wendy]] just stares blankly at him and says that no one will ever call him that. In the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:once Gravity Falls is saved, [[BrickJoke he's called "Bodacious T" on public television in his new job as a sports reporter.]]]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002'', Keldor ceased to be when Hordak "saved" him from the acid eating away at his face by [[EmergencyTransformation turning him into Skeletor]].
* Played for laughs in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' when Captain Black is wearing an Oni mask.
-->'''Captain Black''': Three partners in crime [Finn, Ratso, and Chow], itchy for a makeover.\\
'''Jade''': The Captain Black I knew wouldn't do that.\\
'''Captain Black''': The Captain Black you know is on permanent vacation.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfJonnyQuest'', Race Bannon had a friend in the military who had a FaceHeelTurn after an accident which he blamed Race for and became [[MeaningfulName Skyborg]]. After Race invoked the SaveTheVillain trope, he had a HeelFaceTurn and, the last time someone called him "Skyborg", he said his name was "Jud Harmon".
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' has had a few of these such as Drew Lipski becoming Dr. Drakken, Lord Monty Fiske declaring "I... AM... MONKEY FIST!", and, of course:
-->'''Gill''': Hey, Ronnie. Remember me?\\
'''Ron''': Gil?\\
'''Gill''': I am no longer Gil. Now, I am ''Gill''!\\
'''Ron''': Uh, what's the difference?\\
'''Gill''': I added an L. [[DontExplainTheJoke You know, as in]] ''[[DontExplainTheJoke gill]]''. As in, THESE THINGS THAT GREW WHEN I MUTATED?!
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'', Leonard Rockstein, aka Doctor Rockso, goes into rehab and claims "the clown is dead". Then he had to host Snakes and Barrels' second reunion show...
* Nearly OncePerEpisode on ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug''. Every episode, another citizen is corrupted into a super-villain by the BigBad. Whenever the heroes [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight try to talk sense into them]], they just give a succinct, usually punny renunciation. For example, when [[PhoneaholicTeenager Alya]] is transformed into a Wi-Fi-themed villain, she just declares that "Alya's been disconnected."
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E19PuttingYourHoofDown Putting Your Hoof Down]]", [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]] learns to be assertive to the point that she becomes a [[TookALevelInJerkass jerk]]. When Rarity and Pinkie Pie confront her about it, she yells that she's a New Fluttershy and that Old Fluttershy is never coming back.
** During the flashback sequence in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E2PrincessTwilightSparklePart2 Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2]]", [[spoiler:Princess Luna does this when she transforms into Nightmare Moon]].
--->[[spoiler:'''Celestia:''' ''Luna! I will not fight you! You must lower the moon! It is your duty!'']]\\
[[spoiler:'''Nightmare Moon:''' Luna? I am...Nightmare Moon! I have but one royal duty now: TO DESTROY YOU! ''[fires magic beam at Celestia]'']]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' serial "Brainwashed", Pinky asks Precious what happened to the kitty who used to bat him around and scratch him "so sweetly." Her reply? "That kitty is gone."
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie'': "The hobo you knew as Jojo is no mo'! From here fo'wo' I shall be known as... MOJO JOJO!".
** Before that, there was the episode where he explained his OriginStory:
-->"It was on that day that Jojo became... Mojo Jojo!"
* ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'': In the episode "The Grundel", a young boy named Alec comes under the influence of a Grundel. When pleaded to by his brother, he tells him "Alec doesn't live here anymore!"
* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated''.:
-->'''Fred''': Daphne! Now I need to talk to her!\\
'''Daphne''': Daphne's gone, call me Crush.
** Unfortunately, Fred [[ComicallyMissingThePoint doesn't get it]].
* On ''WesternAnimation/SheriffCalliesWildWest'', in the days of his youth, Tio the tortoise was a masked, face-paint wearing traveling yo-yo champion known as "El Yo-Yo." He gave it all up, however, after he accidentally injured a child and branded him with a star mark when the string on his favorite yo-yo, Star, snapped. In "The Good, the Bad and the Yo-Yo," a boy calling himself "The Twirler Kid" comes into Nice and Friendly Corners, demanding to see El Yo-Yo. Though the picture the boy shows looks a lot like him, Tio at first refuses to admit to anyone in town that was, in fact, El Yo-Yo. Eventually, after being caught with the mask and face-paint by Toby, he admits that he ''was'' El Yo-Yo, but "not anymore." Things come to a head when The Twirler Kid's poor yo-yoing disrupts Tio's checkers game, causing him to declare ItsPersonal. He dresses up once more as El Yo-Yo and confronts the kid [[spoiler:at which point the kid shows him his star mark, revealing himself to be the kid that he had injured. However, he's not looking for {{Revenge}}. He long ago forgave El Yo-Yo for the injury, he just wants a teacher because he's so awful and he never had anyone to help him. He had long ago took up yo-yoing because he was so impressed with the tricks that El Yo-Yo had demonstrated.]]
* Played for Laughs in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Marge on the Lam". While Lionel Hutz babysits Bart and Lisa, Lisa catches him burning some old documents:
--> '''Lionel Hutz''': As of this moment, Lionel Hutz no longer exists. Say hello to Miguel Sanchez!
* {{Parodied}} on ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' with Creator/ChristopherReeve as a supervillain:
-->Don't call me Christopher! That name no longer has meaning to me! Christopher Reeve was someone who lived his life in a wheelchair, always relying on others to help him. [[HarsherInHindsight The old Christopher Reeve is dead.]] From now on, I am...'''''Chris!'''''
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'', Electro has developed this as part of his continued departure from sanity.
** And he seems to be getting even worse:
--> "I don't know anyone named Max. '''My name is ELECTRO! ELECTRO, I TELL YOU!!!"'''
** He's not the only one, either; Sandman, Rhino and Doctor Octopus all get That Man Is Dead moments. Sandman in particular sometimes refers to "Flint Marko" as if he were a separate person, but more as a rhetorical device than anything - it's to emphasize how he's not a BitPartBadGuy any more, he's now a genuine {{Supervillain}}.
* In the final episode of ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'', [[spoiler:Spider-Carnage gets to say this line about Peter Parker - or, at least, that "[[NeverSayDie He's GONE for GOOD!]]"]]
** Dr. Octopus has this in his debut episode saying "Dr. Octavius vanished in that explosion and Dr. Octopus was born."
** The Green Goblin goes into this before he goes into another dimension.
-->'''Spider-Man''': Osborn, take my hand! It's your only chance!
-->'''Green Goblin''': There's no Osborn anymore, Parker. There is only the Green Goblin!
** "There is no more Eddy Brock. There is only ''Venom''!"
** "Kasady is gone. There is only ''Carnage!''"
* Patrick does this in the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Big Pink Loser" when he tries to imitate [=SpongeBob=] to win awards like he always does.
-->'''Patrick:''' I was never closer to an award than the minute I started copying you.\\
'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' But Patrick...\\
'''Patrick:''' PATRICK'S NOT HERE!
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': When Ahsoka Tano (Anakin's old apprentice) meets Darth Vader. She suspects he is Anakin, but isn't sure considering that he was a good man the last she saw him. Also serves as a CallForward to ''Film/TheForceAwakens''. At the same time, [[SubvertedTrope however]], he still calls her "my apprentice" rather than "Anakin Skywalker's apprentice", uses her actual name much like he used to, and aside from that moment he doesn't try to refute or correct her when she refers to him as Anakin either.
-->'''Vader:''' Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him.
* Near the end of ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'', with a cure for the metahuman condition being disseminated through the city, the newly depowered (and correspondingly saner) Talon asks Static and Gear to call her Theresa.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'': In "Monster Bash", [[spoiler:Miss Heinous finds out about her heritage and regains her memories upon finding her nursery in a monster temple. She is the daughter of Eclipsa with her monster lover, making her a member of the Butterfly family. As her memories come back, she tells Gemin that he is no longer to call her Heinous and that she will go by her real name: Meteora]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** In "Chille Tid", [[spoiler:Lapis]] has this reaction when Steven begs her to let the Gems try and free her from [[spoiler:[[SealedEvilInADuel her fusion with Jasper]]]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Lapis:''' I'm not Lapis anymore. We're Malachite now.]]
** "A Single Pale Rose" reveals that [[spoiler:Rose Quartz]] was an example of this. [[spoiler:Her original identity who "died" was '''Pink Diamond'''.]]
-->'''[[spoiler:Pink Diamond]]:''' Soon it will be just... [[spoiler:Rose]].
** Played with in "Change Your Mind": Steven simply says he isn't (and never was) his mother, despite what Homeworld thinks. [[spoiler:When his gem half is temporarily [[LiteralSplitPersonality separated]]]], he gets much more blunt, saying (and then shouting) that "She's gone."
* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' has it with Livewire:
-->'''Superman''': That's enough, Leslie Willis.\\
'''Livewire''': I'm not Leslie Willis anymore. Meet her replacement... Livewire!
** Metallo does this too, while tearing off half of his artificial skin to reveal his robot body:
-->'''Metallo:''' There's the reality! The metal behind the man! It's all I am now! It's who I am... Metallo.
* Splinter occasionally has this mindset during ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' with his clashes with the Shredder when Shredder called him Hamato Yoshi during their brief pre-battle banter.
* A slight variation: In the grand finale of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', [[spoiler:Terra says, "The girl you want me to be is just a memory."]]
* In ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'', how Galvatron feels about his previous form Megatron varies from version to version, and he has been known to refer to Megatron in the past tense a time or two.
** Reformatted Transformers tend to take on new names after they change bodies, despite the personality remaining the same. In ''Anime/TransformersEnergon'', Megatron even insists that Demolishor call Cyclonus "Snowcat" after the change, despite the fact that Snowcat does not actually seem to care.
*** Also from ''Energon'': "Megatron doesn't exist anymore. I am the destroyer of worlds. All will bow before... Unicron."
* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': When Bumblebee tries to apologize for (unwittingly) getting Wasp (now Waspinator) falsely accused of being a spy:
-->'''Waspinator:''' Wasp... forgive Bumble-bot.\\
''(Bumblebee smiles hopefully)''\\
'''Waspinator:''' ...but ''Waspinator'' NEVER forgive!
* ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines:''
-->'''Jetstorm, formerly [[spoiler: Silverbolt]]:''' "Get it through your CPU! That program has been deleted. I'm Jetstorm now. PERIOD!"
** After [[spoiler:Rhinox]]'s spark was reawakened, Tankor insisted that he still be called Tankor, and was still an enemy of the Maximals. Optimus Primal later held a small memorial service in honour of his old friend.
* ''WesternAnimation/WordGirl'' has this for a response to Steven Boxleitner becoming Dr. Two-Brains.
-->'''Becky''': Dr. Boxleitner?\\
'''Dr. Two-Brains''': Hi, kids! Dr. Boxleitner is no more. I am now Dr. Two-Brains!
* Several examples in ''WesternAnimation/XMen''.
** In "Come the Apocalypse"
--->'''Archangel''': Worthington is no more. Now, there is only Archangel. Let the world beware.
** In the "Dark Phoenix" multi-parter
--->'''Dark Phoenix''': The mortal known as Jean Grey no longer exists. There is only...PHOENIX!
** In "Out of the Past, Part 1":
--->'''Lady Deathstrike''': Yuriko no longer exist. I am Lady Deathstrike!
** At the end of "Descent":
--->'''Mister Sinister''' Essex is no more. From this day forth you will address me as Mister Sinister!
* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'':
** Arsenal has completely abandoned his past as Speedy, [[spoiler: the original Roy Harper and Green Arrow's sidekick]]. He's given himself a buzz cut, gotten a new outfit, and become an AntiHero.
** When Halo learns that her original name was Gabrielle Daou she rejects it preferring the name "Violet". [[spoiler:Turns out this is because she really never was Gabrielle. Gabrielle truly is already dead, while Violet is the spirit of a Mother Box merged with Gabrielle's body. Violet rejected the name because, even though she was still unaware of her true nature, she subconsciously realized that she was not really Gabrielle.]]
* Darkwarrior Duck, the BadFuture version of WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck, refers to his past self this way: "Protecting St. Canard is a tough job. The old Darkwing Duck couldn't hack it. That's when Darkwarrior Duck came to town!"
* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace'': Episode 10, when Gary calls the Lord Commander by his old name, Jack, the Lord Commander angrily replies that Jack seized to exist the day he was chosen by the Titans to free them from Final Space (as he believes was the case; he actually got his powers that day through sheer accident).
* Address an [[MonsterOfTheWeek Akuma victim]] by their real name in ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', and they will almost certainly respond with words to this effect.
-->'''Lady Wifi''': Alya's been disconnected. I'm Lady Wifi!\\
'''Zombizou''': I'm not Miss Bustier anymore! I'm Zombizou!\\
'''Anansi''': Nora's not here to protect you anymore. I am Anansi: super spider!
[[/folder]]

%%* ThatManIsDead/VideoGames

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'': "I am Raiden. Jack is no more." Or "Jack is dead." By the time in ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', he eventually is changed back.
** At the very end of the series, [[spoiler:Solid Snake gives up his codename and starts going by David again.]]
** Inversely, at the end of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'', [[spoiler: Jack finally embraces his FaceHeelTurn when he wants people to refer to him as Big Boss from now on.]]
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series: For the most part, in-game dialogue makes reference to Ganondorf when he is in his human form, and Ganon after touching the Triforce and becoming the Demon King. Interestingly, Ganondorf has only ever been shown using his human name, so it's possible that "Ganon" could just be a name his enemies made.
** Subtle example in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' when the mysterious Old Man reveals his true identity. [[spoiler:He says "I ''was'' Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule....the last leader of Hyrule" rather than "I ''am'' Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, the former king of Hyrule," indicating that he feels so much shame about his role in Hyrule's doom that he doesn't like to acknowledge who or what he was when he was alive (though the subsequent text boxes still give "King Rhoam" as his name).]]
* ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' had a rather famous one from "[[spoiler:Atlas]]", who, up until the death of Andrew Ryan, pretends to be your ally while subtly controlling your actions.
-->[[spoiler:'''Atlas''': It's time to end this little masquerade. There ain't no "Atlas", kid. There never was...Name's Frank Fontaine.]]
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3:'' "Mary died a long time ago. My name is Lady."
* KOS-MOS in the last moments of ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'', Episode 3: "I am not [[spoiler:Mary]]. I am KOS-MOS!!"
* Lamia Loveless, in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars: OriginalGeneration'', either the OVA or OG Gaiden, while breaking free from the Bartoll for the first time: "I am... W17... no, I am...! Lamia Loveless...!!"
** Variation: Sanger Zonvolt in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Gaiden''. First is "I am Sanger Zonvolt, The Sword Of Magus!!". But one HeelFaceTurn and the next time he says that, it becomes, "I am Sanger Zonvolt, The Sword That Cleaves Evil!!". So, That Title Is Dead.
* Magus in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''. (though he just replies to "You're Janus" with "[[DramaticEllipsis ...]]")
** Robo too.
-->'''Atropos''': Indeed. Mother remade me to eliminate humans more efficiently! Step back, Prometheus!\\
'''Robo''': My name is Robo.
** And spectacularly and awesomely ''averted'' by Frog.
-->'''Frog''': My name is Glenn!
* ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope'': When Edge challenges him, the Apostle of Creation shrieks [[spoiler: "Faize is gone! Faize is nowhere! You will not address me by that weakling's name!" ]]
* Used in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' in regards to [[spoiler:Raven and his previous identity as Captain Schwann]].
--> '''Raven:''' [[spoiler: Sorry, but you buried that poor schmuck alive yourself. I'm Raven. Pleased ta meet ya.]]
** Also in ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny2'' with Judas discarding his old identity as [[spoiler: Leon who is BackFromTheDead thanks to the BigBad]].
* In the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' games, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Squall Leonhart]] changed his name to Leon out of shame at not being able to prevent his home world from being overrun by TheHeartless. Mildly lampshaded as Yuffie tends to keep using his real name.
-->'''Yuffie''': I think you might've overdone it, Squall!\\
'''Leon''': It's ''Leon''.
** [[spoiler: Terra-Xehanort]] drops a similar line in the Final Episode of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'':
-->Terra's heart has been extinguished... ''smothered'' by the darkness within him!
* ''Franchise/BaldursGate''
** In ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'', [[spoiler: Jon Irenicus]] gives a peculiarly sympathetic response to being called [[spoiler: Joneleth.]] "Do not call me that. I lost all right to that name when [[spoiler: the Seldarine stripped me of everything that was elven]], as you well know."
** In ''VideoGame/BaldursGateDarkAlliance II'', after recovering from AmnesiacDissonance and remembering his past [[spoiler:as a terrorist]], Ysuran tells his mentor, "Ysuran Aoundril is dead; I am simply 'Ysuran' now."
* It's the same name, but the first form of ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'''s final boss says "The [[spoiler:Ramirez]] you knew is already dead, [[spoiler:Fina]]!" to the party right before going OneWingedAngel. In this case the two identities are [[spoiler:Fina's kindhearted older-brother figure and [[BigBad Galcian]]'s ruthless right-hand man]].
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Boktai}} Lunar Knights]]'' draws on this trope toward the end of Chapter 4. When Ernest recognizes Lucian as [[spoiler:Sartana, his old war buddy]], Lucian responds with one of these.
* Jack from ''VideoGame/WildArms1'' in regards to [[spoiler:his old life as Garret, a knight of Artica]]. In fact, reminding him of this is a good way to [[BerserkButton piss him off]].
* Both Dracula in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow'' and his vampiric offspring, Alucard in later games, will respond with this trope whenever addressed by their old human names.
--> '''Dracula''': Don't you ''dare'' call me that! [[IAmTheNoun EU SUNT]] [[{{Dracula}} DRACUL]]!
--> '''Alucard''': (to Dracula) [[spoiler: Trevor]] died a long time ago father. I am Alucard.
* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift'' Hakumen states that the name [[spoiler:"Jin Kisaragi"]] means nothing to him now. In ''[[VideoGame/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger Calamity Trigger]]'', one of his ending paths has him making sure that that name is dead by fighting him as a sign of his complete abandonment to his past.
* Although he never utters the line in question, Archer from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' takes this trope to a whole new level. [[spoiler:He not only considers himself to have outgrown his past self to the degree that he's not the same person, he states that he doesn't have his past self's memories anymore, he wants to kill his past self to ensure said past self will never have to become him as well (and in the hope that it will cause a TemporalParadox and erase him from existence -- Archer also takes 'self-loathing' to a whole new level).]] So, "That man isn't dead... ''yet.''"
* In ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'', playing as a [[MadOracle Malkavian]] allows you to ask [[spoiler:Velvet Velour]] who 'Susan' was. After chewing you out for going inside her head, she states coldly that Susan was a weak woman who died.
** You can also invoke it literally when attempting to convince Samantha (a friend from your living days) that you're not... you.
* Most heroes in ''VideoGame/FreedomForce'' retain some ties to their original identity, but [[NinetiesAntiHero Tombstone]] completely refuses to be [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Nathan Graves]], as is observed when he's introduced.
* When confronted in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', Wynne will claim the [[DemonicPossession abomination]] Uldred has [[YoureInsane gone mad]]. In response, he chuckles and says "Uldred? He is gone! I am Uldred and not Uldred. I am MORE than he was."
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', Fenris has this reaction to being called [[spoiler: "Leto" by his sister]], stating that he considers the person he was before his lyrium tattoos were bestowed, (which wiped his memory), to be long dead. Fenris also experiences some AmnesiacDissonance upon discovering that [[spoiler: he fought to be chosen for the procedure, in exchange for his sister and mother's freedom from slavery.]]
* One ending in ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear XX'' has Venom try to call Faust "Dr. Baldhead". Before he can finish the name, Faust smacks him and declares, "That is not who I am any more."
** Also, Sol Badguy despises his past identity as [[spoiler:Frederick, the scientist who created the Gears]], and calling him by his old name is a real good way to piss him off.
* In ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'', when Altair is preparing to go on the final Jerusalem assassination, he apologizes to Malik for his actions in the past, which resulted in Malik losing his arm and his brother. Malik's response is to refuse to accept Altair's apology, and Altair stoically chooses to accept his rejection. Malik then points out that the Altair standing before him is not the same man who he was before, having grown wiser and more humble than the arrogant man he was before - and thus, he has nothing to apologize for.
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'', Rene C. Corman, a one-time boss, stated, "There is no Bigg. There never ''was'' a Bigg."
* A variant is employed in ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'', during the confrontation between [[TheHero Kenji]] and [[EvilSorcerer Zymeth]] in the Dragon campaign. Kenji's father was a king and Zymeth was said king's EvilChancellor (until Zymeth framed Kenji for killing his father, forced him into exile, had the rest of the family killed and took over most of the kingdom).
-->'''Zymeth:''' You've grown up. Where's the young pup I caught sulking behind the curtains in the Serpent's throne room?\\
'''Kenji:''' Long gone. Where is my father's most trusted advisor?\\
'''Zymeth:''' ...Also gone. [[NotSoDifferent Perhaps we've both grown up.]]
* ''VideoGame/XMenLegends II: Rise of Apocalypse'' has both [[spoiler:Beast and Angel]] saying this upon being brainwashed by Apocalypse.
* ''StarWars'':
** In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', you get a few chances to say variations on this yourself, when dealing with a DarkAndTroubledPast.
** ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'': Toward the story's end, the protagonist tells his pilot and love interest (who had only known him by the call-sign "Starkiller" up to this point) his real name [[HeelFaceTurn before turning from his evil ways.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}'', Grolla's grandfather and mentor, Raimund Seyfarth, who had passed away four years prior to the game's storyline, was revived by Graf Sepperin as [[TheGrimReaper a Grim Reaper-like wraith]] and a guardian of his castle bridge. When your character reaches him at the end of Sepperin Stage 3 and recognizes his voice, he states that his name was the name he carried as a mortal but states that said name is of no use to him now.
* Jacob Taylor's loyalty mission in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' has something close to the WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom example listed below. When Jacob learns what his missing father has been doing for the ten years he was presumed dead, he's so disgusted that he refuses to acknowledge him as the same man. No matter how you end the mission, he will tell Shepard "I've already mourned the man he used to be" in the aftermath.
--> "Neutral" ending: "You were a better man dead. As far as I'm concerned, you still are."
** In one of the possible endings for ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', [[spoiler:Commander Shepard [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence becomes a new AI with complete control over the Reapers]]. Shepard considers their previous human life a completely separate person, but promises to honor their sacrifice by protecting the galaxy.]]
* In ''VideoGame/BlazeUnion'', Gulcasa finds his childhood friend Jenon's insistence on calling him by his fake name Garlot extremely upsetting and continually tries to make him stop, to little effect. A similar exchange occurs between Nessiah and Eater in another route, when Eater tries to call Nessiah by his original name "Aries"; Nessiah cuts him off, offended.
* ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'': "The man known as [[spoiler:Blumiere]] died long ago. Now there is only [[spoiler:Bleck!]]
* Greil in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance]]''. When the Black Knight refers to him as Gawain, he responds, "That was my name, once. but I... threw it away."
* In ''VideoGame/JaysJourney'', this is apparently played straight: The heavily-disguised character of Shade has a number of flashbacks focusing on one Tezla Concerto. At one point, Atolla (who knew Tezla) makes the claim that Shade is Tezla, but Shade denies this and says that Tezla is dead. [[spoiler: This is actually a subversion, however; in a hidden scene, it's revealed Tezla ''[[LiteralMetaphor really is]]'' [[LiteralMetaphor dead]]. Shade is [[SamusIsAGirl Tezla's sister, Tanya]].]]
* In the end of ''VideoGame/LostIsle'', the villagers go out looking for their hero Morvayn. When they ask the BigBad what has become of him, this is his response:
--> [[spoiler:Morlach]]: Don't interrupt me! Morvayn is no more, [[spoiler:there is only Morlach now.]]
** Darkflamewolf even took this opportunity for a little laugh:
--> Darkflamewolf: Don't interrupt me! I'm the mega-villian [sic] giving my evil monologue! You will listen to me!
* Used [[TearJerker tragically]] in ''Videogame/{{Starcraft}}'' when Sarah Kerrigan becomes the Queen of Blades.
-->'''James Raynor''': "Sarah, is that you?"
-->'''Kerrigan''': "It was."
* At the end of ''Videogame/BorderlandsThePreSequel'', after Jack is [[spoiler: scarred by Lilith as he's absorbing the knowledge from the Vault]], he launches into a terrifying, insane rant about how he's going to get vengeance on everyone who wronged him and will set the world on fire. At this point, Athena says that the "hero" who saved Elpis and willingly stayed behind to cover his employees' retreat was dead, replaced by the monster known as Handsome Jack, the BigBad of ''Videogame/{{Borderlands 2}}''.
* The introduction to ''The Path of Thanatos'' states that when a man named Kale returned to the lands he was exiled from he'd been long dead. "In his place was Thanatos."
* In ''VideoGame/YuGiOhReshefOfDestruction'', Sol Chevalsky claims this about how he used to be.
-->My past means nothing to me. I am no longer Pegasus. I am Sol Chevalsky!
* ''Videogame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' has a side mission involving KnightTemplar Azrael, who is being subconsciously controlled by the [[CorruptChurch Order of St. Dumas]]. When Batman confronts him with his real name Michael Lane, he responds "Lane is dead. I am Azrael, knight to the Order of St. Dumas!" This is enforced if the player makes Azrael try (and fail, obviously) to kill Batman, but becomes averted if Azrael instead fights his programming and swears to bring the Order to justice.
* Part of Rowdy Reiko's back story in ''VideoGame/RumbleRoses'' is that she had killed her former self Reiko Hinomoto.
* The ending of ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'' has the titular character declare this as he tosses away a photo of his past life into deep space. This is especially notable as the entire game was about his QuestForIdentity.
-->Goodbye forever, Shadow the Hedgehog.
* In the GoldenEnding of ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', [[spoiler:Asriel Dreemurr]] says something like this. You've spent most of the game thinking of them as [[spoiler:Flowey, the soulless flower]], but at that moment, they've temporarily recovered from their affliction. But because they act so differently, they want you to think of them as different people. Which is to say, [[spoiler:for the moment, Flowey is dead, but soon, he'll come back, and Asriel will be dead again, this time permanently.]]
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', [[spoiler: Bolvar Fordragon has words to this effect after donning the Helm of Domination and becoming the new Lich King. His voice even gains the Lich King's signature PowerEchoes to emphasise the point.]]
--> ''Tell them only that the Lich King is dead... and that [[spoiler: Bolvar Fordragon]] died with him.''
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' has variation five, the "just a mask" variation, with [[spoiler:Crow Armbrust - "...But at the end of the day, I'm C. That's the real deal. The Crow Armbrust you've known all this time... he isn't real. He never was."]]
* Near the end of ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria'', [[spoiler:Eruca asks the protagonist who he identifies as, since he was born Ernst, but has no memories of the time and now goes by Stocke. At this point both are valid for him, and the player can choose either; if they choose Stocke, he says that Ernst should rest in peace and the current crisis is Stocke's burden.]]
* Used rather terrifyingly in ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'', where after opera actress Melissa Pierce is taken over by her mitochondria and mutates into the BigBad, she calls herself Melissa one last time before correcting herself and declaring her name to now be Eve. The way it is worded heavily implies that Melissa was fighting against Eve, but failed and figuratively died as she was completely taken over.
--> '''Melissa/Eve:''' I'm Melissa... No... I am... I'm... I am EVE!
* In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'', Erik's sister Mia doesn't like it when he calls her by after finding her [[spoiler:in the gold palace. She's Gyldygga now, scion of Mordegon, and spreader of the Gold Fever.]]
[[/folder]]

%%* ThatManIsDead/LiveActionTV

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
** More often an AvertedTrope than played straight with Angel; in general, you're more likely to see an emphasis on the fact that while Angel seems to be as much of a good person as any of the other characters, his dark side Angelus is always present and so is the possibility that Angelus would resurface and become dominant. Nor does Angelus have a particularly easy time getting over the unpleasant memories of his times as Angel, or going more than a few episodes without having his soul re-installed.
** Doyle feels this way about his old personality when he the was well-adjusted schoolteacher Allen Francis Doyle. "It's Doyle now. Just Doyle."
* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': [[spoiler: After Mike Peterson has been forced to become the Centipede Group's cyborg assassin Deathlok, he's confronted by the SHIELD agents. Blake tries to reason with him that SHIELD can save him and his son, reminding him of his life as Mike Peterson. Deathlok responds with this line before nearly killing Blake.]]
** Inverted with Daisy Johnson, who decided that her fake identity of Skye was dead when she learned the truth about her past.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'': An InvertedTrope which keeps the same intent: After turning away from his old life as a petty criminal to take up a new calling, "Jinxo" responds to that nickname by politely but firmly declaring, "Thomas. My name is Thomas."
* Season 5 of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' has Howard give a speech to this effect in reference to the lecherous creep he'd been for the first four seasons of the show.
--> '''Howard''': ''Tell her I'm really sorry. And if she doesn't want to marry me, I get it. But what I really want her to know is the guy that she is really disgusted by is the guy that I'm disgusted by, too. But, that guy doesn't exist anymore; he's gone. And the reason is because of her. So, if this relationship is over, let her know that she made me a better man, and tell her thank you.''
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Willow, after going insane and evil, says "Willow doesn't live here anymore."
* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'': In one episode, the Halliwell sisters are being stalked by someone; Prue thinks it's a demon, but it turns out to be [[spoiler: Abbey, a bartender at P3 who's obsessed with taking over Prue's life. After Abbey temporarily blinds Prue, knocks her out and ties her up, they have this exchange]]:
-->'''Prue:''' [[spoiler: Abbey]]?\\
'''[[spoiler:Abbey]]:''' No, you're wrong! [[spoiler: Abbey's]] gone forever! She's a loser and you're a winner. And now, I'm gonna be a winner too, as soon as I take care of you.
* ''Series/TheCoroner'': In "Perfectly Formed", Jane and Davey have worked out most of the details regarding the remains of the dead baby found in the cottage, including that the mother was Lisa Milar, and go to confront the remaining suspects. Once they learn the true circumstances of the birth and death [[spoiler:and that Lisa Milar has undergone a sex change and is now Lee Milar]], the group ask Davey what he intends to do. Davey answers "I came here to arrest Lisa Milar. There's no Lisa Milar here".
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': In this crime drama, there is a character in one episode named Adam with split personalities. His alternate personality is named Amanda, and her job is to protect Adam. In the end of the episode though, she becomes the dominant personality in order to protect him and tells Dr. Spencer Reid that Adma's gone and he'll (Reid) have to wait a long time to get him back.
* In ''Series/TheCrown2016'', Anthony Eden, Foreign Minister, protegé and political Heir to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, feels that the 79 year old Prime Ministers growing mental feebleness is creating permanent damage to the running of the state, turns to King George VI to help him convince Churchill to retire since he A) is the only person that out-ranks the Prime Minister and B) Is one of the few people that Churchill respects.
-->'''George VI:''' What do you suggest I do? \\
'''Anthony Eden:''' Well, as Sovereign, of course, there is nothing you can do from a constitutional standpoint. But as a friend... as Albert Windsor, you are the one person I can think of to whom he might listen. \\
'''George VI:''' ...Well, that is where we run into difficulties, I'm afraid. I no longer am Albert Windsor. That person was murdered by his elder brother... when he abdicated. And, of course, Albert Windsor would dearly love to say to his old friend, Winston Churchill, "Take a step back. Put your feet up. Let the younger generation have a go now." But he is no longer with us and that void has been filled by George VI who, it turns out, is quite the stickler, and no more allow the Sovereign to interfere with the Prime Minister than stand for Office himself.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** Generally amongst the Time Lords that go renegade or are exiled they seem to forfeit their names and take up titles instead: the Doctor, the Meddling Monk, the War Chief, the Master, the Rani, and the Corsair. ''Why'' they do this has never been explained or elaborated on In "Midnight", when a group of paranoid passengers demand that the Tenth Doctor tell them his real name, he replies that he can't.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E11Utopia "Utopia"]] has this exchange after Professor Yana opens the [[SoulJar fob-watch]];
--->'''Professor Yana:''' That is '''not''' my name! "The Professor" was an ''invention!'' So perfect a disguise that I forgot who I am!\\
'''Chantho:''' [[VerbalTic Chan]] -- And who are you? -- [[VerbalTic Tho]]\\
'''Professor Yana:''' [[spoiler: [[PunctuatedForEmphasis I. Am. The Master!]]]]
** In a less obvious way, the Doctor's parental side:
--->'''Tenth Doctor:''' [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E6TheDoctorsDaughter When they died, that part of me died with them.]]
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour "The Eleventh Hour"]]: "Amelia Pond hasn't lived here in a very long time."
** The climax of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E13TheNameOfTheDoctor "The Name of the Doctor"]]: When the Doctor disavows [[spoiler: the War Doctor, because of the actions he took during and at the end of the Time War]].
** Clara does this in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E12DeathInHeaven "Death in Heaven"]] when confronted by the Cybermen. She's bluffing, but it certainly throws the audience, never mind the Cybermen, for a brief loop.
--->'''Clara:''' You see, I’m not Clara Oswald. Clara Oswald has never existed... I'm the Doctor.
** When faced with Clara being [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal]] and trying desperately to negotiate a way out of it in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E10FaceTheRaven "Face the Raven"]], the Doctor experiences a brief but terrifying FreakOut during which he momentarily renounces his name.
--->'''The Doctor:''' The Doctor is no longer here, you are stuck with me! And I will destroy you and everything you love.
** Creator/BigFinish used this for their season-ending CliffHanger "Neverland". Charley finds the Doctor, who has just barely survived a massive anti-time explosion, but has been transmuted into a quasi-mythological villain, announcing, "I'm not the Doctor; I am become [[ArcWords Zagreus]]."
** In the novel ''The Face of the Enemy'', the Master gets to use this on seeing an AlternateUniverse version of himself who never [[FaceHeelTurn turned evil]]: "In our universe, Koschei died, out on the galactic rim. Now there is only the Master."
** In the [[ForWantofaNail Unbound]] series of audio plays (also by Creator/BigFinish), we have [[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoUnboundE4HeJestsAtScars "He Jests at Scars"]], which is pretty much nothing but this trope.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': Happens in the episode "Die Me Dichotomy" after the neural clone completely takes over John's body. First, he refers to himself as "John Crichton" but then starts referring to John in the third person.
* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': "Objects In Space":
-->'''River/''[[SpaceshipGirl Serenity]]''''': "I'm not on the ship. I'm in the ship. I am the ship."\\
'''Simon''': "River-"\\
'''River''': "River's gone."\\
'''Early''': "Then who exactly are we talking to?"\\
'''River''': "You're talking to Serenity. And Early? ''[[CreepyMonotone Serenity is very unhappy]]''."
* The ArcVillain of the third season of ''Series/TheFlash2014'' only refers to himself as Savitar or [[spoiler: The Future Flash]]. Upon being called [[spoiler: Barry]], he screams "THAT'S NOT MY NAME!"
** Played with in regards to Caitlin, who is eventually taken over by her SuperPoweredEvilSide, Killer Frost. At first, the others decide to only refer to her as Killer Frost, believing the Caitlin they knew and loved to be dead (Well, just before Killer Frost took over she ''was'' almost dead), however, they can't help but be bothered by the fact that she was once their friend and that she might still have a good side. In the season finale, Caitlin regains some control, and seems to have fully regained it by the fourth season, [[JekyllAndHyde though not without some difficulties]].
* ''Series/FrontierCircus'': In "The Shaggy Kings", RetiredGunfighter Tom Jace is living under the name Jeb Randall. Every time someone accuses him of being Jace, he replies that "Tom Jace is dead".
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': While Sandor Clegane may have survived the fight and the fall at the end of Season 4, Brienne killed "the Hound". Until the Brotherhood unintentionally resurrected it.
* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': The first eerie words spoken by what ''used to be'' Gerald Crane's son, who'd been locked in a closet overnight with an actual scarecrow that his damaged brain perceived as a terrifying bogeyman?
--> '''The Scarecrow''': ''"Jonathan Crane isn't here anymore..."''
* In the ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' episode "Eve of Destruction", the resurrected [[spoiler: Juliet]] tells Nick she's Eve now. Later, Nick tells Trouble and Adalind that he met Eve. When Adalind asks who Eve is, he replies "[[DeathOfPersonality I have no idea]]." [[spoiler:It turns out that Eve remembers everything, but she no longer considers herself the same person as Juliet. She's now colder, more decisive. In the final season, though, Eve is much more like Juliet thanks to a side effect of the stick. Despite this, both she and Nick know that what they once had is gone, and they're happy to remain good friends]].
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'': Sylar becomes furious when Bennet insists on calling him "Gabriel." Inverted in "I Am Become Death", when Future-Sylar insists that Peter call him Gabriel. The name he prefers usually indicates which side of the FaceHeelRevolvingDoor he's currently on.
* ''Series/{{House}}'': Has an example in its GrandFinale. [[spoiler:When Wilson discovers that House faked his death and tells him the consequences of his survival coming to light, House responds by saying he's officially dead and can now pursue a new life.]]
* ''Series/JustShootMe'': When an old acquaintance of Nina's calls her by her birth name Claire, she explains that "I pushed Claire down a well and shaved eight years off her life."
* ''Series/LukeCage2016'': A rare heroic variant: after Carl Lucas escapes from Seagate, he changes his name to Luke Cage. To show how far he's gone to disassociated himself from his past life, he says at one point "Carl Lucas died in Seagate."
* ''Series/KamenRiderKabuto'': [[spoiler:Tsurugi]] plays this trope straight to Tendou during his FaceHeelTurn. [[spoiler:JustifiedTrope in the fact that the ''real'' Tsurugi was already dead, and the current Tsurugi was just a mimic.]]
* ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'': PlayedForLaughs in the episode "Wild Cards." Deacon convinces a reluctant Doug to accompany him to [[{{Joisey}} Atlantic City]] to enjoy the casinos. Once they're there, Doug ends up extremely hyped about gambling. Deacon wonders "What happened to the Doug who was saying to slow down?" to which Doug retorts "That Doug is dead!"
* The fictionalized TV-movie biography ''Norma Jean & Marilyn" depicts Norma Jean Dougherty (Ashley Judd) and Creator/MarilynMonroe (Mira Sorvino) as almost separate people. Marilyn even imagines backing her car right over her younger self at the moment she decides on her stage name. (Her agent responds with "Long live Marilyn Monroe" - the corollary, of course, being "Norma Jean Dougherty is dead.") When Norma Jean later returns (now as a grown woman) to haunt Marilyn, the latter is incredulous.
-->'''Marilyn:''' [[ThisCannotBe No! You're dead!]] ''[[ThisCannotBe I killed you!]]''
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': (In which dwarves take their names from the inscriptions on their pickaxes), the dwarf Dreamy breaks his pickaxe and declares that he is now Grumpy after being forced to break up with his one, true love.
* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': Tommy attempts to appeal to Zeltrax, who was once his old friend, Terrence "Smitty" Smith:
-->'''Tommy''': Smitty, stop!
-->'''Zeltrax''': Smitty's gone!
* ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'': A legally-true example: By law, when a ninja is banished, they officially cease to exist. Thus, the traitor Kiya vanished, and was replaced by [[BigBad Lothor]]. Because of this, [[spoiler: neither we nor the Rangers know he's the Sensei's brother until mid-series, since according to their laws he doesn't have one anymore.]]
* In ''[[Series/PowerRangersDinoCharge Power Rangers Dino SuperCharge]]'', the Rangers attempt to ask Heckle, who has performed a HeelFaceTurn, to help them with dealing with a last-ditch plot to destroy the Earth. Heckle [[RefusalOfTheCall blows them off]], telling them that the good Heckle disappeared when he touched the Dark Energem, but Shelby isn't convinced.
* On ''Series/TheRookie'', Bradford is thrown to find some detectives are planning to use his wife, Isabel, in an undercover job. They use Isabel's past experience as one of the best narcotics operatives on the LAPD. Bradford tries to warn them that his wife is now a massive drug addict herself and is no longer anything like the professional cop she once was. They ignore him and she ends up making a rookie mistake that blows the entire op.
* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': Miles Matheson says this in the episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E5SoulTrain Soul Train]]" in reference to his pre-catastrophe nicer self. SubvertedTrope at the end of the episode he admits that he isn't dead, he just can't be him under the present circumstances.
* ''Series/{{Scandal}}'': In "The Other Woman", Quinn comes to terms that her life as Lindsay Dwyer is over. Huck even tells her that eight people died in that bombing, not seven. In "Hunting Season," she becomes very insistent that Abby calls her Quinn, not Lindsay.
* ''Series/{{Skins}}'': In Series 4 Episode 7, Effy (proper name Elizabeth), brainwashed by her counsellor, asks Cook "Eff? Who's Eff?"
* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
** "Exodus":
-->'''[[{{Superman}} Clark]]''': [[SecretIdentityIdentity The Clark Kent you know is a lie.]]
** "Exile":
-->'''Clark''' (on red kryptonite): My name is ''[[SuperpoweredEvilSide Kal]]''.
** "Crusade":
-->'''[[BecauseDestinySaysSo Kal-El]]''': Clark Kent is dead.
** "Vessel":
-->'''[[spoiler:Zod]]''': Lex is dead.
** "Legion":
-->'''[[spoiler:Brainiac]]''': Chloe Sullivan died the moment she entered the Fortress.
** "Doomsday":
-->'''Clark''': [[IronicEcho Clark Kent is dead.]]
** "Injustice":
-->'''Bette''': It's [[StuffBlowingUp Plastique]] now.
** "Harvest":
-->'''[[spoiler:Alexander]]''': My name is Lex.
* ''Series/StargateSG1'':
** Goa'uld symbiotes, who usually operate by SymbioticPossession, often utter [[CatchPhrase their varation of the line]]: "[[BlatantLies nothing of the host survives]]." A major plot point between seasons 1 and 2 [[spoiler: is O'Neill refusing to believe this and having a few verbal [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight I Know You're In There Somewhere Fights]] with Skaara.]]
** It also shows up in the second episode after [[spoiler: Teal'c kills the Goa'uld-possessed Major Kawalsky by holding his head in the Stargate when it was shut down.]]
--->'''Teal'c''': He was your friend.\\
'''O'Neill''': My friend died on the table.
** One early episode has Teal'c [[KangarooCourt put on trial]] by the son of someone he killed in the course of [[TheDragon his old job]]. He's found guilty and [[TheAtoner wants to submit to the execution]], but naturally more Jaffa show up, Teal'c saves the village and so on, leading his accuser to declare he was mistaken and that Teal'c must have killed the man who murdered his father.
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':
** Dr. Julian Bashir pulls this when his mother calls him by his childhood nickname "Jules":
--> '''Julian Bashir''': It's Julian, now, mother. The boy Jules died in that hospital.
** To clarify, Bashir had [[spoiler: been genetically modified by his parents to be smarter after being born with a mental impairment, a decision that he had to hide for the rest of his life.]] In this case, he sounded regretful, but Julian was never portrayed as a bad person compared to Jules. He never goes back to his old name. Except in one of the ExpandedUniverse novels, in which an alien MacGuffin undoes [[spoiler: the modification]].
** Ezri does the same thing when she is confused with Jadzia. However, in this situation, it is entirely justified, as Ezri is a different person, who happens to carry the same symbiont.
** In "Hard Time", Chief O'Brien has the memories of being imprisoned for twenty years implanted in his mind. He can't cope with it, and when Bashir finds him he's pointing a phaser under his chin.
--> '''O'Brien:''' I'm not your friend! The O'Brien that was your friend died in that cell!
** Also happens in "Duet", although explaining how spoils the episode: [[spoiler:Marritza, during the breakdown of his Gul Darheel deception, insists "It's Marritza who's dead! Marritza! Who was good for nothing but cowering under his bunk and weeping like a woman! Who every night covered his ears because he couldn't bear to hear the screaming for mercy of the Bajorans..." before breaking down and weeping.]]
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
** In the episode "The Vengeance Factor":
-->'''Yuta:''' Five [Tralestas] survived the last Lornak raid. But on that day, a century ago, my life ended...and my search began.
** In "Elementary, Dear Data", Data and Geordi are playing Literature/SherlockHolmes and Dr. Watson in the holodeck, and ask the computer to create an opponent capable of defeating Data. [[GoneHorriblyRight That opponent turns out to be a holographic Professor Moriarity]] who's aware of both being a holographic program and the ''Enterprise'' itself. He gets defeated, but [[TheBusCameBack when he comes back]] in the later episode "Ship In A Bottle", he tells Picard that because of his self-awareness, he is no longer the literary foe of Sir Creator/ArthurConanDoyle's creation.
* ''Series/Supergirl2015'':
** Leslie Willis is given powers after a helicopter accident. When she reappears as a villain, she gives this line:
--->'''Livewire''': Leslie Willis is dead. D-E-A-D. Dead. She died in that [=CatCopter=] of yours. This is Leslie 2.0. Livewire.
** In the episode [[Recap/Supergirl2015S2E7TheDarkestPlace "The Darkest Place"]], [[spoiler: the real]] Hank Henshaw declares that "Hank Henshaw" is dead, he is now [[spoiler: the [[{{Cyborg}} Cyborg Superman]].]]
** In the third season premiere, "Girl Of Steel", [[spoiler: [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] herself attempts this, dealing with her grief over losing Mon-El in the second season finale by throwing herself into being Supergirl full time, quitting her job at [=CatCo=] and generally distancing herself from her humanity, at one point declaring, "Kara Danvers was a mistake!". By the end of the episode she starts to reconnect to her normal life and retakes the name Kara Danvers.]]
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': After [[AGodAmI proclaiming himself a god]] and [[FaceHeelTurn becoming evil]], [[spoiler:Castiel]] tells the Winchesters that the [[spoiler:Castiel]] they knew is gone.
* A real life instance of this occurs in the reality show ''Series/TattooNightmares''. Jasmine gets a client with a dainty tribal tattoo on the small of his back (i.e., a "tramp stamp"). He explains that he got this tattoo "for a girl who is no longer in my life." While Jas works on his coverup, he elaborates: [[spoiler: he is a [[{{Transgender}} trans man]], and the "girl" no longer in his life is ''himself'', pre-transition]].
* ''Series/{{Wings}}'' does another humorous version, when Helen suffers a concussion and has to stay awake for an extended period of time. She starts getting loopy from sleep deprivation, and finally goes with the "Helen doesn't live here anymore" version.
* In the ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' episode "Orphan of War", Xena and Gabrielle visit a centaur village that Xena had attacked during her Conqueror period:
-->'''Kaleipus ''': Xena, destroyer of nations. You promised you’d never return.\\
'''Xena''': That Xena never will.
[[/folder]]

* ''Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet'' plays with this. The eponymous Todd says this of his real identity of Benjamin Barker. In some adaptations, he uses the exact words, "That man is dead." However, at the climax, [[spoiler: Todd insists on revealing his true name to the villain who wronged him.]]

* ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', the musical, has the song "I Know Those Eyes / This Man Is Dead", which juxtaposes the titular character's persona from before and after his wrongful imprisonment.

%%* ThatManIsDead/{{Literature}}

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', after escaping from jail and finding the treasure of Monte Cristo, the protagonist declared that Edmond Dantes was 'dead', and he assumed his titular identity. The narration plays along, in the first half of the novel we follow Edmond Dantes through imprissonment, escape and finding his treasure where his actions is narreted such as "Edmond walked over to the the desk." Then he declare himself to be an avenging angel and that all mercy has left his soul, and we have a time-skip after wich we starts with following an for us unknown character running into the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, and from that moment on, even when he is in private, the narration goes "The Count walked over to the desk.". The Count's time in prison and on the high seas did a number on his appearance. The film versions use makeup tricks to put this across: blacking him up (suntan), having him go grey, and/or adding some facial hair. His HeelRealization and subsequent MyGodWhatHaveIDone HeelFaceTurn at the end seems to give him some sort of balance between the two, as he in the final chapter signs his letter as "Edmund Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo".
* At the end of the final ''Literature/HarryPotter'' book, Harry starts calling Voldemort by his Muggle name Tom Riddle, at first to mock him, but later as a LastSecondChance, and this unsurprisingly infuriates Voldemort.
** This happens even earlier, in a [[PensieveFlashback scene Harry sees in the Pensive]] in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince''. Dumbledore calls Voldemort "Tom", and continues to do so even after Voldemort tries to convince him to call him Voldemort.
* In Mercedes Lackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, Tayledras use-names reflect the owner. When something happens that drastically changes the personality of a Tayledras they change their use-name, indicating that they see themselves as a new/different person. This is how Songwind became Darkwind.
* In ''Ancillary Sword'', Breq says this about Lieutenant Tisarwat, [[spoiler: after removing the implants [[HiveMind Anaander Mianaai]] used to assimilate her.]]
* In "Literature/InvisibleMonsters", Shane fakes his own death, and pretends to be a trans woman to assume a new identity as "Brandy".
* ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'': Doctor Impossible says in his narration "I'm Doctor Impossible nearly all the time now." When he meets Lily, she calls him "Jonathan". When they meet again [[spoiler:after he defeats the heroes]] he demands she call him Doctor Impossible.
* Wol in ''Literature/StarTrekKlingonEmpire''. Wol's previous identity was Eral, a noble woman. When she came of age, her parents had Eral betrothed in order to forge an alliance with another house. Eral, however, became pregnant with the child of a servant, whom she loved. She was banished from her house, as her father could not bring himself to kill her (as honor would have dictated). Her lover, however, was executed, and her child taken away. She became Wol, a common soldier, and embraced it. Eral is pretty much dead and gone.
** A mistake by the author, as Klingon philosophy emphasizes fighting to shape one's own destiny. Honour from duty and loyalty is only a factor when a Klingon chooses to join the military to serve the empire.
* 'Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy'' - Near the end of the second book, Bartimaeus tries to reproach his young master for his slide into a borderline KnightTemplar by saying, "You'll notice I'm calling you John Mandrake now... The boy who was Nathaniel's fading, almost gone." Unfortunately, [[strike:Nathaniel]] John Mandrake entirely misses the point.
** [[spoiler: He gets it in the third, and abandons the name John Mandrake]].
* At the end of ''Othello'', the title character replies to the character asking for "this rash and most unfortunate man" with "That's he who was Othello: here I am".
* ''[[Literature/{{Dune}} Children Of Dune]]'': [[spoiler: The Preacher]], whose old identity is suspected by many characters but not confirmed until late in the book, states that [[spoiler: "Paul Atreides is gone."]]
* In ''[[Literature/{{Westmark}} The Beggar Queen]]'', the main character, Theo, is asked by the revolutionary leader Florian to make sure that the capital city will accept him as a leader when he returns from a journey. Theo refuses, and Florian says, "I'm not asking you, I'm asking Kestrel," referring to Theo's alias in the previous book. Theo responds with "Kestrel's dead. He died in the war, from the stink of too much blood."
* In ''[[Literature/{{Wicked}} A Lion Among Men]]'', after a pivotal scene, [[spoiler:Ilianora is revealed to be Nor Tigelaar, but when asked, she says that Nor died in Southstairs, and she's now Ilianora.]]
* Creator/OHenry's short story "A Retrieved Reformation" uses something like this, although for a HeelFaceTurn. Jimmy Valentine is a GentlemanThief who starts the story as a FalselyReformedVillain and is being pursued by [[InspectorJavert a detective]]. He creates another identity, Ralph Simpson, initially so he can rob a bank, but then bumps into and falls in love with the daughter of the bank's owner, [[LoveRedeems leading to his reformation]]. At the end, he exposes himself in front of the detective by breaking into a safe in which a little girl had become trapped. He goes to willingly turn himself in, but the detective, seeing he has changed, refers to him as Mr. Simpson and lets him go, pretending not to recognize him.
** But also facing the bank president, his daughter, and all the townsfolk who just watched "Ralph Simpson" pop an unbreakable safe...
* In the ''Literature/XWingSeries'', Dia says "She's dead. Dia. Diap'assik. She is dead. She would not have done that. She would not have shot him. She would have died first. ''She is dead,'' Face." after she pulled a ShootYourMate. [[spoiler: He was - probably - already dead.]] In an interesting version of this trope, Dia had previously called herself Dia Passik and was very hard, very bitter after being enslaved. Diap'assik was her name as a child. The seemingly tiny difference in the names is very significant in the Twi'lek language: while it's normal for Twi'leks to split their given and family names when dealing with other species, among themselves only the most dishonored outcasts are referred to in that manner. This shows that Dia thought of herself as a dishonored outcast, even though the rest of Twi'lek society didn't. [[spoiler: Turns out she's not dead, and this is her [[DefrostingIceQueen moment of defrosting.]]]]
--> Gara Petothel is dead. Lara Notsil is dead. I will answer to those names, but they are no longer mine. I am Kirney Slane. I have no life yet. I will make one, or I will die in the attempt.
* In Steven Layne's ''This Side of Paradise'' (not the one by F. Scott Fitzgerald), Jack recognizes when [[spoiler:his father]] has become [[spoiler:his split personality Mr. Eden, completely consumed by his Utopia Justifies The Means mindset,]] for good, with the line "[[spoiler:My father]] was gone, and nothing could bring him back."
* Inverted in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' novel ''Vendetta'':
--> Vastator of Borg: You are a special case, Locutus.
--> Picard: Locutus is dead!
* ''Literature/DeepgateCodex'': Serial murderer and assassin Carnival reacts very badly to her old name "Rebecca".
* In ''The Alchymist's Cat'', a prequel to the ''Literature/DeptfordMice'' trilogy, [[spoiler:during TheReveal that he is [[TheHero Will's]] uncle, Dr. Spittle proclaims "My name is Elias Theophrastus Spittle - I do not recognise that former life. I have ceased to be Samuel Godwin!"]]
* In the ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' novel ''Taggerung'', by the end of the story, the Taggerung doesn't really go by that name much anymore.
* ''Literature/TheReynardCycle'': Isengrim invokes this, referring to his past life as one of the Blood-Guard, the StateSec of Calvaria.
* In ''Literature/TheInvisibleMan'', the title character starts referring to himself as Invisible Man The First, instead of Griffin.
* Bubba, in ''Literature/TheSookieStackhouseMysteries'' hates being called by his real name, Elvis.
* Played with and subverted in [[Creator/StephenKing The Dark Half]] when the main character has a mock photo shoot in front of the grave... Of his alter-ego.
* In [[Literature/TheWheelOfTime The Shadow Rising]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Asmodean]] pleads with his former co-conspirator and current [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves betrayer]] Lanfear:
--> '''Asmodean''': You cannot do this to me! Please, [[FaceHeelTurn Mierin]]! Please!
--> '''Lanfear''': [[BerserkButton My name is]] ''Lanfear''!
* What Mal'Akh, the villain of Dan Brown's ''Literature/TheLostSymbol'', [[spoiler: Zachary Solomon]] does to Simon. [[spoiler: He reveals he is, in fact, Simon's son who was so enraged by his father abandoning him that he feigned death, escaped a Turkish prison and became a tattoo'd Chessmaster MagnificentBastard with [[AGodAmI a thing for Godhood]].]]
* ''Literature/CodexAlera'' - In ''First Lord's Fury'', this is how one character ultimately avoids being RewardedAsATraitorDeserves. [[spoiler: In the epilogue, Octavian declares Fidelias ex Cursori dead, while making Fidelias's SecretIdentity Valiar Marcus one of his top advisers, with the intent of getting as much use out of the former Cursor as he can.]]
** Which is exactly what Gaius Sextus said should happen in ''Cursor's Fury''.
* In ''Literature/{{Everworld}}'', the witch Senna Wales abandoned her birth name when her mother left her, using "Senna"(which is a mispronunciation of her real name) as a way of separating herself from the "crying, lost little girl without her mother." She explictly thinks in the ninth book that, "That was all dead and buried now. Had been for a long time. I was me, I was [[MagnificentBastard Senna Wales]]."
* ''Literature/{{Wicked}}'' - Done with Galinda, who changes her name to Glinda. More comedic and parody like in the musical than the book though.
* In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', Albert Spangler died, but Moist von Lipwig woke up in Vetinari's office. Moist never wanted to stop being Albert, but what can you do when an Angel presents himself? The stock phrase does crop up, though; when Vetinari causally points out that the money the gods left to Moist ''just happens'' to be equal to the estimated haul of a noted fraudster, Moist replies, "Albert Spangler is dead. I was there when they hanged him."
* ''Literature/{{Night}}'': He doesn't take a new name, but Eliezer describes his [[{{Determinator}} spiritual hardening]] in these terms after he watches a cart dump children into a firepit. He's lucky enough to be spared, but ""[T]he student of the Talmud, the child that I was, had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me."
* In ''Literature/ZenAndTheArtOfMotorcycleMaintenance'' [[spoiler: the narrator says that Phaedrus is gone, killed by electric shock, and he seems to legitimately believe it. Unlike most examples, the narrator gives his ex-personality a different name than his own (which is not revealed).]]
* In ''Literature/ElFilibusterismo'', the follow-up to Jose Rizal's Noli me Tangere, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returns to the Philippines under the name Simoun. The former goody-two shoes ilustrado is now a terrorist. Lovely.
* In ''[[Literature/SymphonyOfAges Destiny]]'' by Elizabeth Haydon, Rhapsody is angsting over having people that [[spoiler: Llauron the Invoker]] is dead when he's actually still alive. (Her powers derive from telling the truth and only the truth. Telling a lie makes her lose her powers.) One of her friends tells her that if she had used [[spoiler: Llauron]]'s full name, she would have been lying, but since she only used his title, technically, she didn't tell a lie, because [[spoiler: Llauron the Invoker]] ''is'' dead because he's no longer [[spoiler: the Invoker.]]
* The title character of ''Literature/TheSheik'' did this after rejecting his English heritage and disowning his father:
-->A letter that Lord Glencaryll wrote to him, addressed to Viscount Caryll, which is, of course, his courtesy title, begging for at least an interview, and which he gave to us to forward, was returned unopened, and scrawled across the envelope: "''Inconnu.'' Ahmed Ben Hassan."
* [[SpellMyNameWithAThe The]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Exalted]], Capitan of the warband which was once the 10th company of the ''Literature/NightLords'', [[BadBoss tends to lash out at the nearest bridge officer]] whenever anyone addresses him by his [[DemonicPossession pre-posession]] name of Vandread.
* Toward the end of Creator/EllisPeters' ''The Leper of St. Giles'', Literature/BrotherCadfael is talking to the man who killed Godfrid Picard [[spoiler:in a duel]], who he names "Guimar de Massard".
-->'''[[spoiler:Lazarus, once known as Guimar de Massard]]:''' Should I know that name?
* ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'': A variation: Captain Nemo's former persona is so dead, he never reveal who he ''was'' (at least before the {{Sequel}}), and he refers to himself as dead:
-->''"...I am dead, Professor; as much dead as those of your friends who are sleeping six feet under the earth!"''
* In ''Literature/LabyrinthsOfEcho'' Shurf Lonli-Lokli deliberately adopts his present persona, and takes great pains to truly [[BecomingTheMask Become The Mask]] in order to mislead the vengeful ghosts of the people his younger, wilder self killed
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', [[spoiler: Theon Greyjoy]] aka Reek has a nervous breakdown when Roose Bolton refers to him by his previous identity.
-->'''Reek:''' I'm not [[spoiler: the Turncloak]], I'm not him! He died at [[spoiler: Winterfell]]! My name is Reek, it rhymes with freak!
** The Elder Brother of the monks on the Quiet Isle says this about the Hound; it's strongly implied that Sandor Clegane is still alive, but no longer the Hound, having left the life of violence (and his dog's head helm) behind and become one of the monks.
* ''Literature/LordOfTheFlies:'' Implied when Percival Wemys Madison (''"of the Vicarage, Harcourt St Anthony, Hants, telephone, telephone, tele- …"''), who has made of his name and address his SurvivalMantra and has been repeating it through the traumatic events of the novel, forgets it exactly at the moment he meets someone who can really help him.
* In ''Literature/GreenAngel'', fifteen-year-old Green suffers the loss of her parents and sister after they die in a huge explosion. She then renames herself Ash, chops off her black RapunzelHair, and withdraws to her cottage except to restock on supplies. Much of the story is her journey of coming to terms with her grief and regaining her identity as Green.
* At the very end of the Literature/ColdfireTrilogy, this is the fate of [[spoiler:Gerald Tarant. The altered rules of the ''fae'' mean that his new lease on life relies on both "the Hunter" and "Gerald Tarant" staying dead. The new guy can't acknowledge his past identities except in the most oblique terms.]]
* ''Literature/EdenGreen'' has multiple characters infected and completely taken over by an alien needle symbiote; several react this way.
* This happens to all the Epics in ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', as [[spoiler:Epic powers turn people apathetic and uncaring to the consequences of their actions, so they kill when they're annoyed]]. Best shown in ''Literature/{{Firefight}}'' with [[spoiler:Prof, the leader of the Reckoners when he overuses his powers]]
* In ''Literature/TheDinosaurLords'', after dying twice and IdentityAmnesia, Karyl takes to saying this whenever someone inquires about the famous voyvod Karyl Bogomirskiy.
* This happened to Scar from ''Disney/TheLionKing'' according to the book ''A Tale Of Two Brothers''. His name was originally "Taka" however after gaining his scar, due to an accident where he tried to frame his older brother Mufasa, he decided to change his name.
-->'''Scar''': "From now on, call me Scar. Father, I won't forget what happened today. I promise."
* In ''Literature/ThisImmortal'', Conrad changes his names with his identities and proclaims his former personas dead. When confronted with the possibility of him being Konstantin Karaghiosis, he denies it, saying Karaghiosis is dead. But even after he admits to Diane that yes, he is -- or used to be -- Karaghiosis, he makes it clear that man is dead and he now is Conrad Nomikos.
* ''Literature/ArcOfFire'': [[spoiler: Rahze]] says this about his past good self after turning evil.
* ''Literature/TheTraitorSonCycle'': After his FaceHeelTurn, Kevin Orley abandons his old name and says that the old him is dead - punctuating it by murdering his travelling companions.
* In ''[[Literature/GarrettPI Cold Copper Tears]]'', Jill leaves Garrett a note insisting that he shouldn't go looking for her to protect her, as she's no longer the little girl (Hester) whom he'd known when they were neighbors. Ironically, she ''signs'' the note "Hester", and Garrett concludes that the note's very existence proves the little girl is still in there: her "Jill" persona wasn't the sort to even ''think'' of leaving him such a message.
* ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin'' and ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' both: Túrin goes under many covers, but when he chooses the name Turambar, it sticks, to a point where even the narrator uses it for most of his time in Brethil. Túrin himself invokes the trope when he insists that the men of Brethil are to forget his former names and is only to adress him as such. It goes for Níenor as well, who becomes Níniel after her former identity is erased by Glaurung. Only after the death of Glaurung, the narration goes back to Túrin´s original name.
[[/folder]]

%%* ThatManIsDead/{{Film}}

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': Buddy Pine says as much to his former childhood idol, Mr. Incredible:
-->'''Syndrome:''' My name is not Buddy! And it's not Incrediboy either. That ship has sailed!
* ''Disney/TheLionKing'': Played with when Nala finds a now adult Simba living independently in the wild with Timon and Pumbaa, far away from Pride Rock where Scar now rules with an iron fist. Unable to come to terms with his past or with what he thinks was his part in Mufasa's untimely death, Simba coldly refuses to return even though he is the rightful heir to the throne. Nala is aghast at his change in temperament since they last met.
-->'''Nala:''' What's happened to you? You're not the Simba I remember.\\
'''Simba:''' You're right. I'm not. Now are you satisfied?\\
'''Nala:''' No. Just disappointed.
* ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar3EuropesMostWanted'':
-->'''Alex:''' Come on! Where's that Vitaly?!\\
'''[[BrokenAce Vitaly]]:[[TearJerker That Vitaly is no more]].
* In another Creator/DreamWorks film, ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', Metro Man actually does this when it turned out that he had survived being zapped by [[VillainProtagonist Megamind's]] KillSat and and decides not to be a superhero anymore (he now wants to be a musician instead) despite [[GoneHorriblyRight Tighten]] planning on destroying the city.
* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'', as the spaceship is set to [[SelfDestructMechanism self-destruct]]:
-->'''Gallaxhar:''' Now we're all gonna die! And there's nothing you can do about it, ''Suuusan''!\\
'''Susan:''' I wouldn't be too sure. And the name... is Ginormica.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' has a (slight) variation that makes you wonder what Jack's long-term plans for Christmas were:
-->'''Sally:''' But you're the Pumpkin King!\\
'''Jack:''' Not anymore! ''[breaks picture]'' I feel ''so'' much better now!
* The first few lines heard in ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'', are Flynn Rider saying "This is the story about how I died." However, it's later revealed in the film that Flynn's real name is actually Eugene Fitzherbert, and in the climax he is murdered by the film's villainess but is revived by Rapunzel's magic tears, and from that point on she starts referring him by his real name instead. In other words, Flynn Rider is dead, but Eugene lives.
* In ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' Elsa's words in 'Let it Go' explicitly declare 'that perfect girl is gone' in regard to her former life, forced to keep her powers secret like a 'good girl'.
** Early on in the film's production, she stated that Elsa was dead and she was now the Snow Queen.

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* A unique variation occurred in ''Film/OneHundredAndTwoDalmatians'', after "Ella" gets over her HeelFaceBrainWashing.
-->'''Cruella''': Not Ella. Ella's gone, and Cruella's BACK!
* ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'' has this with the Green Goblin.
-->'''Gwen Stacy:''' [[spoiler:Harry.]]\\
'''Green Goblin:''' [[spoiler:Harry]] is ''DEAD!!''
* The ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' films:
** ''Film/Batman1989'': Jack reveals his horribly disfigured face to his soon-to-be-ex-boss with the line "Jack is dead, my friend. You can call me... Joker. And as you can see, [[SlasherSmile I'm a lot happier]]."
** ''Film/BatmanReturns'' has this to Penguin, "My name is not Oswald! It's Penguin! I am not a human being! I am an animal! Cold-blooded!"
** ''Film/BatmanBegins'': "Crane?" "No. Scarecrow!" A creepier version occurs earlier, when we actually see Crane's mind snap: "Dr. Crane isn't here right now, but if you'd like to make an appointment..."
*** The latter line is paraphrased from a similar line that Scarecrow utters in ''Haunted Knight''.
*** Though he never says anything to that effect, it's quite clear in the third act of ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' that [[spoiler:Harvey Dent died when Avenue X at Cicero went up and that the charismatic prosecutor who cleaned up Gotham's streets with a massive sting is no more]].
*** It is {{implied}} in the trailer for ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' that [[spoiler:Bruce Wayne]] may have given up on his Batman identity [[spoiler:when conversing with an under-critical-condition hospitalized Commissioner Gordon]].
** Every version of Franchise/{{Batman}} will invoke this Trope at some point, between how crazy the villains are and the hero's own tendency towards BecomingTheMask. In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', an evil psychic trying to use MoreThanMindControl on Bruce Wayne by speaking as his subconscious seems to be succeeding... until Bruce reveals he was playing him all along, with the line "Bruce isn't what I call myself inside my head."
** In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', Bruce almost ''always'' speaks with his "Batman voice", only using Bruce' voice when speaking to someone like Terry's mother. While he has retired from his heroic identity physically in that series, he seems to have become even ''more'' distant from Bruce Wayne spiritually.
* ''Film/BendOfTheRiver'': Glyn [=McLyntock=] used to be a hellraising "border raider" during the Missouri-Kansas border war, but now he's leading a wagon train to Oregon where he wants a quiet life as a rancher. When an amused Cole, who knows about his past, asks what Glyn's running from, Glyn says "I'm running from a man named Glyn [=McLyntock=]."
* Part of the backstory to ''Film/CaptainClegg'', when the title character explains how he [[FakingTheDead faked his death]] and [[HeelFaceTurn became a better person.]]
-->But no man can stand upon the gallows without coming face to face with his soul. And on that day, ''truly'', the old Clegg died.
* Jack/Kyra in ''Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick''.
** Riddick himself before that, in the last lines of ''Film/PitchBlack'' (after watching [[spoiler: the TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth pilot]] [[TakingTheBullet get carried away by the creatures]] while [[spoiler: [[NoOneGetsLeftBehind trying to drag him to the escape ship]]]]):
--->'''Jack''': Gonna be a lot of questions, whoever we run into... what do we tell them about you?\\
'''Riddick''': Tell them Riddick's dead. He died somewhere back on that planet.
* In ''Film/CityOfGod'', the formerly named Lil' Dice insists on being called Lil' Ze. It is, however, a nickname, but Brazilian kids all take them on usually, and he is the only favela kid to change his nickname as he got older and more villanous.
* ''Film/CrimeDoctor'': During his trial, Robert argues that there are essentially two men on trial: a guilty one (Phil Morgan, the man he used to be), and an innocent one (Robert Ordway, the man he has become). When the judge suspends his sentence and calls him Mr. Morgan, Grace corrects him by saying "It's Dr. Robert Ordway".
* When Lieutenant John Dunbar of the United States of Army coolly tells his captors and former comrades in ''Lakota'' rather than English that "My name is Film/DancesWithWolves, and I have nothing to say to you" when they offered him his life in return for betraying his new family, his transformation into a true American Indian is finally complete.
* Another heroic example: "Peyton is gone. Call me: ''Film/{{Darkman}}''."
* The original ''Film/{{Django}}'' has an unusually subtle twist on this: the main character never actually tells anyone that his name is Django to begin with. Instead, he tells them that there's a dead man named Django in the coffin he drags with him at all times. When it's revealed that there's actually a [[spoiler:gun]] in there, it's up to the characters and the viewers to connect the dots and realize that he means he is trying to start a new life and keep the old Django dead and banished away in the coffin.
* ''Film/DoctorZhivago'': Strelnikov, the brutal [[RedsWithRockets Bolshevik commander]] who has his own [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority bright red war-train]]. No one has seen his face. Only... he's [[spoiler:the {{bishonen}} love interest, Pasha Antipov from earlier in the film]] who suffered a HeroicBSOD after [[spoiler:[[BusCrash being run over by Cossacks]]]]! Now he has GoodScarsEvilScars and no one may call him by his past name. But he [[YouWillBeSpared lets Dr. Zhivago live]] anyway.
* In ''Film/DraculaUntold'', Vlad was once known as the "Lord Impaler". Now he wants nothing to do with his past, but can't escape it. And before [[spoiler:he kills Mehmet]], Vlad claims to be no longer Vlad, but Dracula, son of the Devil.
* Talked around in ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}''; while Kara doesn't name him, she talks about a knight of great honour. Bowen (the knight in question) replies with "That man died of his wounds long ago."
* ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' features "There is no Victor, only Doom!". Its presence can seen as a mark of the film's TroubledProduction. In an earlier script the character's name was Victor Domoshev, and was changed to the comics-faithful Victor von Doom after fan backlash. However, the final cut retains Johnny saying "Check out Doctor Doom over here" in a way that suggests it's a nickname, and him claiming Doom as his supervillain identity makes more sense than him being weirdly insistent that only the second part of ''his actual name'' has meaning.
* An interesting variation in ''Film/AFewGoodMen'':
-->'''Kaffee:''' Why did Markinson go UA?\\
'''Capt. Ross:''' You'll never know.\\
'''Kaffee:''' You think I can't subpoena Markinson?\\
'''Capt. Ross:''' You can try, but you won't find him. You know what Markinson did for the first 17 of his 26 years in the Corps? Counterintelligence. Markinson's gone. There is no Markinson.
* ''Film/TheFly1986''. "But I think Seth Brundle is disappearing, and I'm [[TheCorruption becoming something else]]. 'Brundlefly'."
-->'''Seth:''' I'm saying I'm an insect who dreamed he was a man, and loved it. But now the dream is over, and the insect is awake.
* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}''. Peter Venkman attempts to speak with a possessed Dana Barrett who responds in a deep, growling voice "There is no Dana, only Zuul!"
%%* Maximus quotes it by name in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''.
* In ''Film/AHistoryOfViolence'' more than twenty years before the start of the film, AxCrazy mob enforcer Joey Cusack made a complete break with his past life and became Tom Stall, everyday midwestern NiceGuy, family man, and diner owner. It turns out that despite Tom's best efforts Joey isn't quite as dead as he'd like, and that side of him comes out first when a pair of murderous robbers try to hold up his store, and then to a much greater extent when his old mob comes looking for him after all the news coverage of his heroism. When he finally comes clean to his wife, he even uses the analogy of having killed his old self, which she does not respond to very well.
-->'''Tom:''' I thought I killed Joey. I buried him in the desert.\\
'''Edie:''' Are you crazy? Are you like some multiple-personality schizoid? What?
* In ''I Spit On Your Grave III: Vengeance is Mine''. [[spoiler: Detective Glen Bolton "Why did you change your name?" Angela/Jennifer Hills: "I didn't want to be Jennifer Hills anymore." Cue brief {{Heroic BSOD}} from Bolton.]]
* ''Film/JamesBond'':
** This happens in ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' during James Bond's ColdBloodedTorture scene.
--->'''Franz Oberhauser:''' Franz Oberhauser died twenty years ago, in an avalanche together with his father. The man you're talking to now, the man inside your head... is [[spoiler: [[WhamLine Ernst Stavro Blofeld]]]].\\
'''James Bond:''' Catchy name.
** Played with in '''Film/DieAnotherDay'' when Bond discovers that the wealthy diamond magnate Gustav Graves is actually the North Korean Colonel Moon, who was believed to have died at Bond's hand during a mission that went awry. Moon remains very much his former self once he sheds the facade, but his father is much less convinced when he witnesses his son initiate his plans to invade South Korea, horrified at the extremes he has come to and holds him at gunpoint.
--->'''Gustav Graves/Colonel Moon:''' You would kill your own son?\\
'''General Moon''': The son I knew died long ago!
* In ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'', when the BigBad is revealed to be [[spoiler: Professor James Moriarty, he scoffs at the identification, saying, "Moriarty? The so-called "Napoleon of Crime"? That man died at Reichenbach Falls. He died, and I was reborn!"]]
* Early in ''Film/TheLongKissGoodnight'', Sam says that the woman she used to be is gone and she's "kissed her goodnight." Later, when she fully regains her memories and takes on her true identity of Charly, she says offhandedly that Sam is gone for good. She's not being entirely truthful in the second instance; she ''wishes'' Sam was gone for good, because then she wouldn't have to care about Sam's husband and daughter...
* [[SplitPersonality Sméagol/Gollum]] in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', though the implication isn't so much that Sméagol is dead but that The Ring corrupted him so much that he has forgotten his own name.
-->'''Frodo''': [[NotSoDifferent You weren't so different]] from a hobbit once. Were you? [[IKnowYourTrueName Sméagol?]]\\
'''Gollum''': What did you call me?
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** The film ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' has a much more benevolent (and perhaps literal) version of the trope. After coming to life, and speaking with the same voice as [[spoiler:J.A.R.V.I.S]], [[spoiler:the Vision]] is very gentle in saying it, but is quick to explain that he is most definitely not [[spoiler:J.A.R.V.I.S]].
** As part of TheReveal in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', [[spoiler: When Cap refers to The Winter Soldier by his former nickname Bucky, the Soldier responds with "Who the hell is Bucky?" This goes to show just how badly HYDRA broke his mind to turn him into the Soldier.]]
** In ''Film/{{Thor Ragnarok}}'':
--> '''Thor:''' Banner! Great to see you!\\
'''Hulk:''' No Banner. Only Hulk.
** In the climax of ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}'', the titular heroine combines this with a PreAssKickingOneLiner: [[spoiler:the titular heroine has reclaimed her memories and has this exchange with the BigBad, after she keeps calling her "Vers", her Kree name.]]
-->My name is Carol!
* ''Film/TheMatrix'': Neo responds to one "Misssster Anderson" too many with "My name... is Neo!"
* When Christine in ''Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1989'' finds the sheets for ''Don Juan Triumphant'' with Erik's signature in his lair, Erik tells her that "That man... is long dead."
* In the Korean war movie, ''Film/MyWay'', while being imprisoned in [[TheGulag a Soviet POW camp]] when [[TheHero Jun-sik]] calls out his old friend Jong-dae for selling out, and condemning to death, one of their own for stealing food when he got hungry, Jon-dae angrily replies that he is no longer the Jong-dae he used to know, but Anton, Soviet overseer of the Japanese prisoners.
* Appears in ''Comicbook/ThePunisher'' adaptations:
** In ''Film/ThePunisher1989'', Franks tells his former police partner Jake that "Frank is dead" when they finally meet face to face.
** In ''Film/ThePunisher2004'', "Frank Castle is dead. Call me... The Punisher" is the closer of the film.
** Used by Billy Russoti in ''Film/PunisherWarZone'' after his less than successful facial reconstruction.
-->"Billy is dead. From now on, you call me... Jigsaw."
* ''Film/TheRevengers'' contains a variant where someone else declares the man they knew is dead. When Benedict encounters his old friend Whit, who is now a Deputy USMarshal, Whit is disgusted by what Benedict has become. When Benedict goes to shake Whit's hand, Whit refuses and rides off, saying that he doesn't shake hands with stranger. This rebuke causes Benedict to question for the first time what his RoaringRampageOfRevenge is turning him into.
* Played for tearjerker effect in ''Film/{{Robocop 2}}''. Worried over a lawsuit from his distraught 'widow', OCP lawyers convince Alex Murphy to cut all ties with his family, pointing out he could never be a proper husband and father to them.
-->'''Ellen Murphy:''' ''[sees Robocop without his helmet]'' Alex, is it really you?\\
'''[=RoboCop:=]''' ''[gets up and walks to her, [[SeparatedByTheWall mesh metal fence separating them]]]''\\
'''Ellen Murphy:''' ''[crying]'' Don't you remember me? Whatever they've done to you... whatever has happened, we can work it out... start again...\\
'''[=RoboCop:=]''' ''[leans forward]'' Touch me.\\
'''Ellen Murphy:''' ''[she touches his lip, downhearted]'' It's cold.\\
'''[=RoboCop:=]''' They made this to honor him.\\
'''Ellen Murphy:''' ''[crying]'' No...\\
'''[=RoboCop:=]''' [[BreakHerHeartToSaveHer Your husband is dead. [walking away] I don't know you.]]
* ''Film/TheShining'': "Danny isn't here, Mrs. Torrance."
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** Jedi in general seem to treat Sith as something like TheUndead. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon referred to Darth Maul as "it", Yoda warned Obi Wan that Anakin is "gone" and has been "consumed" by Darth Vader, Mace Windu says "which was ''destroyed'', the master or the apprentice?".
** In ''Film/ANewHope'', Obi-Wan Kenobi aids and abets this trope when he tells Luke that [[FromACertainPointOfView Darth Vader killed Luke's father]].
** In ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', after Luke calls Vader by his real name, Anakin Skywalker, Vader replies, "That name no longer has any meaning for me". However, Vader puts himself in the [[HeelFaceTurn still redeemable]] category when he responds to Luke's continued pleas with a sad, [[IveComeTooFar "It is too late for me, son."]]
*** [[AllThereInTheManual Expanded materials]], however, show this is a {{Subversion}}; although he and his Master refer to Anakin Skywalker in third person, the comics and novels that actually get into his head make it clear that he doesn't really think of his former self as a separate person. Indeed, the use of third person seems to be largely for Sidious' benefit, who sees clinging to the past as a weakness. This continuity of identity is also demonstrated in how he [[spoiler:refers to Ahsoka as "my apprentice" in ''Rebels'']], refers to Obi-Wan as his former master in ''A New Hope'', and clearly thinks of Luke as his own son. He does, however, try to avoid thinking of himself by his old name, because it makes him [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone remember things he'd rather stay buried]]. In other words, he doesn't like thinking of or being called by his old name, but he doesn't think of Anakin Skywalker as a separate person.
** Kylo Ren, the main antagonist of ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', insists that he isn't [[spoiler:Ben Solo]], even as his father, [[spoiler:Han]], appeals to what remains of [[spoiler:Ben]]. [[spoiler:He even [[{{Patricide}} murders Han in cold blood]] in an effort to sever his ties with his old life.]]
* ''Film/SuicideSquad''. When Amanda Waller tries to convince Diablo to join the Squad, he refuses because he doesn't want to use his pyrokinetic power to kill people any more. In the BackStory, he had accidentally killed his wife and children when his wife threatened to leave him.
-->'''Diablo''': That ain't me.
-->'''Waller''': That wasn't you?
-->'''Diablo''': Nah, they say it's me, but that ain't me. That guy's gone. He's dead.
* ''Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet'' is the TropeNamer: "No. Not Barker. That man is dead. It's Todd now. Sweeney Todd. And he will have his revenge."
* In ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', where Rose decides to put her high society life behind her. "Dawson. Rose Dawson."
* When ''Film/{{Topaze}}'' returns after finding out that he has been used as a dupe in a marketing scam to sell dirty tap water as mineral water, he says "I am not Topaze. Topaze lies dead in an alley." He then sets about getting revenge on the CorruptCorporateExecutive who manipulated him.
* In ''Film/WarGames'', [[spoiler:Stephen Falken gives up his name and becomes Dr. Robert Hume after his son Joshua dies and he decides that the world is going to destroy itself]]. Note: Naming your computer after your dead son is not quite leaving your old life behind you.
* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
** ''Film/X2XMenUnited'' features an interesting inversion, when Magneto strikes up a conversation with Jonathan Allerdyce.
--->'''Magneto''': What's your name?\\
'''Jonathan''': John.\\
'''Magneto''': What is your ''real'' name, John?\\
'''Jonathan''': ...Pyro.
** Played straight in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', where Mystique refuses to answer to her birth name, feeling no connection to humanity after she joined the evil mutants.
** ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' ends with Erik outright proclaiming that he prefers his new moniker: Magneto.
** ''Film/TheWolverine'':
*** When Yukio tells Logan it's an honour to meet the Wolverine, he mutters, "That's not who I am anymore."
*** Logan says to Mariko that [[spoiler:he killed the "kuzuri" that she calls him when he killed Jean Grey.]] However, he [[HesBack reverses his decision]] when circumstances force him to become a hero again, as shown by this exchange from his duel with Shingen:
--->'''Shingen''': What kind of monster are you?\\
'''Logan''': [[TitleDrop The Wolverine.]]
** ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'':
*** When Hank tells Logan that "the Professor isn't here," Xavier is still living at his estate, only he has lost his powers and the will to lead mutants, thus dissociating himself from his identity as Professor X. It doubles as a CallBack to ''First Class'' when he insisted that "You don't get to be called a 'professor' until you actually have a teaching position."
*** In Saigon, Mystique tells Alex that Raven isn't her name anymore. [[spoiler:Given how the film ends, it's ambiguous if she still feels this way.]]
** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Charles pleads with Erik not to join Apocalypse, but Lehnsherr has already reclaimed his Magneto persona.
--->'''Xavier''': Erik, don't join them.\\
'''Magneto''': Whatever it is you think you saw in me, I [[spoiler:buried it with my family]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'', after escaping from jail and finding the treasure of Monte Cristo, the protagonist declared that Edmond Dantes was 'dead', and he assumed his titular identity. The narration plays along, in the first half of the novel we follow Edmond Dantes through imprissonment, escape and finding his treasure where his actions is narreted such as "Edmond walked over to the the desk." Then he declare himself to be an avenging angel and that all mercy has left his soul, and we have a time-skip after wich we starts with following an for us unknown character running into the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, and from that moment on, even when he is in private, the narration goes "The Count walked over to the desk.". The Count's time in prison and on the high seas did a number on his appearance. The film versions use makeup tricks to put this across: blacking him up (suntan), having him go grey, and/or adding some facial hair. His HeelRealization and subsequent MyGodWhatHaveIDone HeelFaceTurn at the end seems to give him some sort of balance between the two, as he in the final chapter signs his letter as "Edmund Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo".
* At the end of the final ''Literature/HarryPotter'' book, Harry starts calling Voldemort by his Muggle name Tom Riddle, at first to mock him, but later as a LastSecondChance, and this unsurprisingly infuriates Voldemort.
** This happens even earlier, in a [[PensieveFlashback scene Harry sees in the Pensive]] in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince''. Dumbledore calls Voldemort "Tom", and continues to do so even after Voldemort tries to convince him to call him Voldemort.
* In Mercedes Lackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, Tayledras use-names reflect the owner. When something happens that drastically changes the personality of a Tayledras they change their use-name, indicating that they see themselves as a new/different person. This is how Songwind became Darkwind.
* In ''Ancillary Sword'', Breq says this about Lieutenant Tisarwat, [[spoiler: after removing the implants [[HiveMind Anaander Mianaai]] used to assimilate her.]]
* In "Literature/InvisibleMonsters", Shane fakes his own death, and pretends to be a trans woman to assume a new identity as "Brandy".
* ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'': Doctor Impossible says in his narration "I'm Doctor Impossible nearly all the time now." When he meets Lily, she calls him "Jonathan". When they meet again [[spoiler:after he defeats the heroes]] he demands she call him Doctor Impossible.
* Wol in ''Literature/StarTrekKlingonEmpire''. Wol's previous identity was Eral, a noble woman. When she came of age, her parents had Eral betrothed in order to forge an alliance with another house. Eral, however, became pregnant with the child of a servant, whom she loved. She was banished from her house, as her father could not bring himself to kill her (as honor would have dictated). Her lover, however, was executed, and her child taken away. She became Wol, a common soldier, and embraced it. Eral is pretty much dead and gone.
** A mistake by the author, as Klingon philosophy emphasizes fighting to shape one's own destiny. Honour from duty and loyalty is only a factor when a Klingon chooses to join the military to serve the empire.
* 'Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy'' - Near the end of the second book, Bartimaeus tries to reproach his young master for his slide into a borderline KnightTemplar by saying, "You'll notice I'm calling you John Mandrake now... The boy who was Nathaniel's fading, almost gone." Unfortunately, [[strike:Nathaniel]] John Mandrake entirely misses the point.
** [[spoiler: He gets it in the third, and abandons the name John Mandrake]].
* At the end of ''Othello'', the title character replies to the character asking for "this rash and most unfortunate man" with "That's he who was Othello: here I am".
* ''[[Literature/{{Dune}} Children Of Dune]]'': [[spoiler: The Preacher]], whose old identity is suspected by many characters but not confirmed until late in the book, states that [[spoiler: "Paul Atreides is gone."]]
* In ''[[Literature/{{Westmark}} The Beggar Queen]]'', the main character, Theo, is asked by the revolutionary leader Florian to make sure that the capital city will accept him as a leader when he returns from a journey. Theo refuses, and Florian says, "I'm not asking you, I'm asking Kestrel," referring to Theo's alias in the previous book. Theo responds with "Kestrel's dead. He died in the war, from the stink of too much blood."
* In ''[[Literature/{{Wicked}} A Lion Among Men]]'', after a pivotal scene, [[spoiler:Ilianora is revealed to be Nor Tigelaar, but when asked, she says that Nor died in Southstairs, and she's now Ilianora.]]
* Creator/OHenry's short story "A Retrieved Reformation" uses something like this, although for a HeelFaceTurn. Jimmy Valentine is a GentlemanThief who starts the story as a FalselyReformedVillain and is being pursued by [[InspectorJavert a detective]]. He creates another identity, Ralph Simpson, initially so he can rob a bank, but then bumps into and falls in love with the daughter of the bank's owner, [[LoveRedeems leading to his reformation]]. At the end, he exposes himself in front of the detective by breaking into a safe in which a little girl had become trapped. He goes to willingly turn himself in, but the detective, seeing he has changed, refers to him as Mr. Simpson and lets him go, pretending not to recognize him.
** But also facing the bank president, his daughter, and all the townsfolk who just watched "Ralph Simpson" pop an unbreakable safe...
* In the ''Literature/XWingSeries'', Dia says "She's dead. Dia. Diap'assik. She is dead. She would not have done that. She would not have shot him. She would have died first. ''She is dead,'' Face." after she pulled a ShootYourMate. [[spoiler: He was - probably - already dead.]] In an interesting version of this trope, Dia had previously called herself Dia Passik and was very hard, very bitter after being enslaved. Diap'assik was her name as a child. The seemingly tiny difference in the names is very significant in the Twi'lek language: while it's normal for Twi'leks to split their given and family names when dealing with other species, among themselves only the most dishonored outcasts are referred to in that manner. This shows that Dia thought of herself as a dishonored outcast, even though the rest of Twi'lek society didn't. [[spoiler: Turns out she's not dead, and this is her [[DefrostingIceQueen moment of defrosting.]]]]
--> Gara Petothel is dead. Lara Notsil is dead. I will answer to those names, but they are no longer mine. I am Kirney Slane. I have no life yet. I will make one, or I will die in the attempt.
* In Steven Layne's ''This Side of Paradise'' (not the one by F. Scott Fitzgerald), Jack recognizes when [[spoiler:his father]] has become [[spoiler:his split personality Mr. Eden, completely consumed by his Utopia Justifies The Means mindset,]] for good, with the line "[[spoiler:My father]] was gone, and nothing could bring him back."
* Inverted in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' novel ''Vendetta'':
--> Vastator of Borg: You are a special case, Locutus.
--> Picard: Locutus is dead!
* ''Literature/DeepgateCodex'': Serial murderer and assassin Carnival reacts very badly to her old name "Rebecca".
* In ''The Alchymist's Cat'', a prequel to the ''Literature/DeptfordMice'' trilogy, [[spoiler:during TheReveal that he is [[TheHero Will's]] uncle, Dr. Spittle proclaims "My name is Elias Theophrastus Spittle - I do not recognise that former life. I have ceased to be Samuel Godwin!"]]
* In the ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' novel ''Taggerung'', by the end of the story, the Taggerung doesn't really go by that name much anymore.
* ''Literature/TheReynardCycle'': Isengrim invokes this, referring to his past life as one of the Blood-Guard, the StateSec of Calvaria.
* In ''Literature/TheInvisibleMan'', the title character starts referring to himself as Invisible Man The First, instead of Griffin.
* Bubba, in ''Literature/TheSookieStackhouseMysteries'' hates being called by his real name, Elvis.
* Played with and subverted in [[Creator/StephenKing The Dark Half]] when the main character has a mock photo shoot in front of the grave... Of his alter-ego.
* In [[Literature/TheWheelOfTime The Shadow Rising]], [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Asmodean]] pleads with his former co-conspirator and current [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves betrayer]] Lanfear:
--> '''Asmodean''': You cannot do this to me! Please, [[FaceHeelTurn Mierin]]! Please!
--> '''Lanfear''': [[BerserkButton My name is]] ''Lanfear''!
* What Mal'Akh, the villain of Dan Brown's ''Literature/TheLostSymbol'', [[spoiler: Zachary Solomon]] does to Simon. [[spoiler: He reveals he is, in fact, Simon's son who was so enraged by his father abandoning him that he feigned death, escaped a Turkish prison and became a tattoo'd Chessmaster MagnificentBastard with [[AGodAmI a thing for Godhood]].]]
* ''Literature/CodexAlera'' - In ''First Lord's Fury'', this is how one character ultimately avoids being RewardedAsATraitorDeserves. [[spoiler: In the epilogue, Octavian declares Fidelias ex Cursori dead, while making Fidelias's SecretIdentity Valiar Marcus one of his top advisers, with the intent of getting as much use out of the former Cursor as he can.]]
** Which is exactly what Gaius Sextus said should happen in ''Cursor's Fury''.
* In ''Literature/{{Everworld}}'', the witch Senna Wales abandoned her birth name when her mother left her, using "Senna"(which is a mispronunciation of her real name) as a way of separating herself from the "crying, lost little girl without her mother." She explictly thinks in the ninth book that, "That was all dead and buried now. Had been for a long time. I was me, I was [[MagnificentBastard Senna Wales]]."
* ''Literature/{{Wicked}}'' - Done with Galinda, who changes her name to Glinda. More comedic and parody like in the musical than the book though.
* In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', Albert Spangler died, but Moist von Lipwig woke up in Vetinari's office. Moist never wanted to stop being Albert, but what can you do when an Angel presents himself? The stock phrase does crop up, though; when Vetinari causally points out that the money the gods left to Moist ''just happens'' to be equal to the estimated haul of a noted fraudster, Moist replies, "Albert Spangler is dead. I was there when they hanged him."
* ''Literature/{{Night}}'': He doesn't take a new name, but Eliezer describes his [[{{Determinator}} spiritual hardening]] in these terms after he watches a cart dump children into a firepit. He's lucky enough to be spared, but ""[T]he student of the Talmud, the child that I was, had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me."
* In ''Literature/ZenAndTheArtOfMotorcycleMaintenance'' [[spoiler: the narrator says that Phaedrus is gone, killed by electric shock, and he seems to legitimately believe it. Unlike most examples, the narrator gives his ex-personality a different name than his own (which is not revealed).]]
* In ''Literature/ElFilibusterismo'', the follow-up to Jose Rizal's Noli me Tangere, Juan Crisostomo Ibarra returns to the Philippines under the name Simoun. The former goody-two shoes ilustrado is now a terrorist. Lovely.
* In ''[[Literature/SymphonyOfAges Destiny]]'' by Elizabeth Haydon, Rhapsody is angsting over having people that [[spoiler: Llauron the Invoker]] is dead when he's actually still alive. (Her powers derive from telling the truth and only the truth. Telling a lie makes her lose her powers.) One of her friends tells her that if she had used [[spoiler: Llauron]]'s full name, she would have been lying, but since she only used his title, technically, she didn't tell a lie, because [[spoiler: Llauron the Invoker]] ''is'' dead because he's no longer [[spoiler: the Invoker.]]
* The title character of ''Literature/TheSheik'' did this after rejecting his English heritage and disowning his father:
-->A letter that Lord Glencaryll wrote to him, addressed to Viscount Caryll, which is, of course, his courtesy title, begging for at least an interview, and which he gave to us to forward, was returned unopened, and scrawled across the envelope: "''Inconnu.'' Ahmed Ben Hassan."
* [[SpellMyNameWithAThe The]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Exalted]], Capitan of the warband which was once the 10th company of the ''Literature/NightLords'', [[BadBoss tends to lash out at the nearest bridge officer]] whenever anyone addresses him by his [[DemonicPossession pre-posession]] name of Vandread.
* Toward the end of Creator/EllisPeters' ''The Leper of St. Giles'', Literature/BrotherCadfael is talking to the man who killed Godfrid Picard [[spoiler:in a duel]], who he names "Guimar de Massard".
-->'''[[spoiler:Lazarus, once known as Guimar de Massard]]:''' Should I know that name?
* ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'': A variation: Captain Nemo's former persona is so dead, he never reveal who he ''was'' (at least before the {{Sequel}}), and he refers to himself as dead:
-->''"...I am dead, Professor; as much dead as those of your friends who are sleeping six feet under the earth!"''
* In ''Literature/LabyrinthsOfEcho'' Shurf Lonli-Lokli deliberately adopts his present persona, and takes great pains to truly [[BecomingTheMask Become The Mask]] in order to mislead the vengeful ghosts of the people his younger, wilder self killed
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', [[spoiler: Theon Greyjoy]] aka Reek has a nervous breakdown when Roose Bolton refers to him by his previous identity.
-->'''Reek:''' I'm not [[spoiler: the Turncloak]], I'm not him! He died at [[spoiler: Winterfell]]! My name is Reek, it rhymes with freak!
** The Elder Brother of the monks on the Quiet Isle says this about the Hound; it's strongly implied that Sandor Clegane is still alive, but no longer the Hound, having left the life of violence (and his dog's head helm) behind and become one of the monks.
* ''Literature/LordOfTheFlies:'' Implied when Percival Wemys Madison (''"of the Vicarage, Harcourt St Anthony, Hants, telephone, telephone, tele- …"''), who has made of his name and address his SurvivalMantra and has been repeating it through the traumatic events of the novel, forgets it exactly at the moment he meets someone who can really help him.
* In ''Literature/GreenAngel'', fifteen-year-old Green suffers the loss of her parents and sister after they die in a huge explosion. She then renames herself Ash, chops off her black RapunzelHair, and withdraws to her cottage except to restock on supplies. Much of the story is her journey of coming to terms with her grief and regaining her identity as Green.
* At the very end of the Literature/ColdfireTrilogy, this is the fate of [[spoiler:Gerald Tarant. The altered rules of the ''fae'' mean that his new lease on life relies on both "the Hunter" and "Gerald Tarant" staying dead. The new guy can't acknowledge his past identities except in the most oblique terms.]]
* ''Literature/EdenGreen'' has multiple characters infected and completely taken over by an alien needle symbiote; several react this way.
* This happens to all the Epics in ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', as [[spoiler:Epic powers turn people apathetic and uncaring to the consequences of their actions, so they kill when they're annoyed]]. Best shown in ''Literature/{{Firefight}}'' with [[spoiler:Prof, the leader of the Reckoners when he overuses his powers]]
* In ''Literature/TheDinosaurLords'', after dying twice and IdentityAmnesia, Karyl takes to saying this whenever someone inquires about the famous voyvod Karyl Bogomirskiy.
* This happened to Scar from ''Disney/TheLionKing'' according to the book ''A Tale Of Two Brothers''. His name was originally "Taka" however after gaining his scar, due to an accident where he tried to frame his older brother Mufasa, he decided to change his name.
-->'''Scar''': "From now on, call me Scar. Father, I won't forget what happened today. I promise."
* In ''Literature/ThisImmortal'', Conrad changes his names with his identities and proclaims his former personas dead. When confronted with the possibility of him being Konstantin Karaghiosis, he denies it, saying Karaghiosis is dead. But even after he admits to Diane that yes, he is -- or used to be -- Karaghiosis, he makes it clear that man is dead and he now is Conrad Nomikos.
* ''Literature/ArcOfFire'': [[spoiler: Rahze]] says this about his past good self after turning evil.
* ''Literature/TheTraitorSonCycle'': After his FaceHeelTurn, Kevin Orley abandons his old name and says that the old him is dead - punctuating it by murdering his travelling companions.
* In ''[[Literature/GarrettPI Cold Copper Tears]]'', Jill leaves Garrett a note insisting that he shouldn't go looking for her to protect her, as she's no longer the little girl (Hester) whom he'd known when they were neighbors. Ironically, she ''signs'' the note "Hester", and Garrett concludes that the note's very existence proves the little girl is still in there: her "Jill" persona wasn't the sort to even ''think'' of leaving him such a message.
* ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin'' and ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' both: Túrin goes under many covers, but when he chooses the name Turambar, it sticks, to a point where even the narrator uses it for most of his time in Brethil. Túrin himself invokes the trope when he insists that the men of Brethil are to forget his former names and is only to adress him as such. It goes for Níenor as well, who becomes Níniel after her former identity is erased by Glaurung. Only after the death of Glaurung, the narration goes back to Túrin´s original name.
[[/folder]]

%%* ThatManIsDead/{{Fanfiction}}

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2530396/1/Minion This]] ComicBook/FantasticFour fanfic:
-->"Your name? The name I used then is not important anymore. I will let it die."
* ''[[http://conceptofzero.livejournal.com/12824.html The Queen is Dead]]'', a ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' fanfic. Note the TitleDrop.
* In the ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' {{doujinshi}} "From the New World, With Love", [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire Britannia]] mockingly tells America that the England he knew as a child is gone now thanks to him having been so deeply hurt by [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution America's revolution]]. [[spoiler:However, America realizes later on that Britannia was lying and that there is in fact ''no'' SplitPersonality; 'Britannia' really IS England. It's kind of hard to explain.]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic ''Fanfic/DuskAndDawn'', we get this exchange:
-->'''Eclipse''': "You know I don't go by that name anymore."\\
'''Applejack''': "That don't matter. You'll still always be [[spoiler:Twilight]] to me."
* In the [[BadFuture Dark World]] arc of the ''FanFic/PonyPOVSeries'', both [[DaddysLittleVillain Fluttercruel]] and [[TheStarscream the Valeyard]] say this about Fluttershy and the Doctor, respectfully. [[spoiler:The Valeyard is lying, he's merely got a [[SoulJar Regeneration Template]]. Fluttercruel is ''technically'' right, but more literal: Fluttershy is ''literally'' dead.]]
* In ''FanFic/TheImmortalGame'', [[EvilMatriarch Terra]] says this about the old, caring version of her that the Mane Six see when they view her memories [[spoiler: from before [[BigBad Titan]] subjected her to [[MindRape the Insanity]]]]. She even goes so far as to say that if she thought any part of her old self was still alive within her, she'd gladly kill it. [[spoiler: At the very end of the story, it becomes apparent [[HeelFaceTurn she was wrong]].]]
* In [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6949110/1/A-Piece-Of-Glass A Piece Of Glass]], numerous characters use this, but the OC Breech Loader is particuarly adamant that Bridget Loranski (her birthname) is dead, and when pushed she can get edgy about it.
-->'''Breech:''' Bridget Loranski is DEAD! She died ten years ago. I should know; I was there. (...) Show some respect for the dead, dammit!
* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6173090/17/Lightning-and-Thunder Lightning and Thunder]]'':
-->'''Voldemort:''' Tom is very much dead, only Lord Voldemort lives now.
* In ''Series/Supergirl2015'' story ''Fanfic/{{Survivors}}'', [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] feels like "Kara Zor-El" died when she left Krypton.
-->'''Megan:''' Is it true? Are you... Kara Zor-El?\\
'''Supergirl:''' I used to be. That girl died on Krypton. I think just Kara works now.
* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6857688/1/Tapestry Tapestry]]'':
-->'''Snape:''' The Lucius Malfoy I know would never cry.\\
'''Lucius:''' The Lucius Malfoy you knew is gone. I killed him.
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5848566/1/A-Different-Song-and-Dance A Different Song and Dance]]'' Harry is blood-adopted by Sirius and changes his name.
-->'''Harry:''' Harry James Potter is dead, so don't expect him to magically appear ever again.
* In ''FanFic/{{Tormentor}}'' [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Ajas Terror Mephysto]] decides to completely cut ties with his old life considering that "Harry Potter" [[TomatoInTheMirror never really existed in the first place.]]
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7257961/2/Taking-Back-What-is-Mine Taking Back What Is Mine]]'' Harry offers to join the Dark Side.
-->'''Voldemort:''' What happened to Dumbledore's Gryffindor Golden Boy?\\
'''Harry:''' I killed him. He was weak; he begged for it, so I gave him relief. He will not be missed.
* In the 6th installment of the ''FanFic/TalesOfTheUndiscoveredSwords'', even after [[spoiler: embarking on a kiwame training and re-discovering his past self before he became the current BrokenBird EmotionlessBoy, Sasanoyuki still concludes he can "never once again be Katagiri Yosaburō", though he has seemingly decided to let go of his grief.]]
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8372999/5/Its-too-late-to-say-you-re-sorry It's Too Late to Say You're Sorry]]'' Daphne Greengrass praises Harry for sticking up for himself.
-->'''Harry:''' Well I just want to show them that the Harry they knew is dead, and the one that's here today isn't as forgiving as the last.
* In ''FanFic/TheJadedEyesSeries'' Harry Potter is now Tristan Winter because after abandoning him and pretending to be dead Harry/Tristan decides that [[YoureNotMyFather the Potter family is dead to him.]]
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9119753/1/The-Indecipherable-Riddle The Indecipherable Riddle]]'' after [[LukeIAmYourFather the truth of Harry's parentage]] is revealed and all his friends abandon him and Dumbledore has "Harry Potter" declared dead, "Harry" (now Antares Salazar Black) feels he doesn't owe the Light-side anything and fully embraces his true family.
* In ''Fanfic/WhiteDevilOfTheMoon'', Nanoha reveals that Princess Serenity had killed herself after Prince Endymion had shielded her from Queen Beryl. Mamoru goes to comfort her, but makes the mistake of calling her "Serenity", which she angrily corrects him before running off. She does it again when confronted by the spirit of Queen Serenity.
* In ''FanFic/AceOfSpades'' Harry Potter is dead. There is only [[TitleDrop the Ace of Spades]].
* Inverted in the ''FanFic/TamersForeverSeries''; [[spoiler: Chaos will always insist that he '''''is''''' Takato- the ''real'' Takato. The worst part is, it's essentially true.]]
* In ''Fanfic/{{Hivefled}}'', the Helmsman tells Sollux that the Psiioniic is dead and that the Helmsman saw him die, which is true, in a sense. The person the Psiioniic became is not dead [[spoiler: i.e., the Helmsman]], but the Psiioniic as an actual identity is.
* In the ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf'' mini-stories, Empath thinks that his pre-Psyche self Empathy is dead, while his friend Duncan [=McSmurf=] thinks otherwise.
** Papa Smurf also treats his past self Culliford Smurf as if he was dead, as he no longer wishes to be called "Uncle Cully", though it isn't the case of a possible split personality as with his son. In "Days Of Auld Lang Smurf", though, Papa Smurf temporarily reverts to being called "Uncle Cully".
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7010227/1/Emancipation Emancipation]]'' Harry decides to be less trusting and more proactive after Sirius' death.
-->Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Gryffindor Prince, the Golden Boy, Dumbledore's Man was dead!
* In ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', Mr. Black claims this about who he used to be. [[spoiler:In the end it's reversed, with John Barton declaring Mr. Black dead]].
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4816968/1/Do-Not-Meddle-In-The-Affairs-Of-Wizards Do Not Meddle in the Affairs of Wizards]]'':
-->'''Harry:''' The Harry Potter who let people walk all over him no longer exists. You killed him that day when you burned up his things and condemned him to hell without even bothering to hear his side of the story.
* In ''Fanfic/TheEndOfEnds'', Terra's saying this in the [[Recap/TeenTitansS5E13ThingsChange last episode of Teen Titans]] is referenced from time to time. [[spoiler:Beast Boy, who has gone insane from being rejected by Terra and has become Count Logan, throws Terra's line back in her face when she realizes who Count Logan is, as this is also a WholePlotReference to ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', where Count Logan plays Count Bleck's role]].
* In ''Fanfic/TreadingDangerousWaters'', the plot centers on Harry Potter abandoned by Lily and James and he is actually Bucky Barnes from the Avengers. The best example of the title drop is from the summary itself: "Harry Potter is dead. He died when you left him at an orphanage. You are a terrible mother, Liliana Mae Potter and I am glad Harry Potter died. I am James Buchanan Barnes Jr. I am the Soldier. Understand?" Most of the plot revolves around him trying to get people to see him for him.
* In ''Fanfic/BloodMatters'' Harry Potter was actually Lucius Malfoy's missing son and when he discovers this unpleasant truth, he no longer goes by the name Harry and instead is Orion Malfoy. Ginny and the Weasleys don't seem to tolerate this new change.
* In ''Fanfic/GameOfTheFuture'' Harry Potter is an insane psychopath who destroyed his magic and now considers his true name to be [[{{LightNovel/Durarara}} Izaya Orihara]] but plenty of his old 'friends' still consider him to be the tool they once used, especially Severus. Generally speaking, calling him Harry is [[BerserkButton not a good idea.]]
* [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Janna Kalderash]] in ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-6269-10/MMcGregor+Defender+of+the+Night.htm Defender of the Night]]'' angrily declares to her uncle that her name is Jenny Calendar [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoment of the Scooby Clan]].
* ''FanFic/BadFutureCrusaders'': Snails, believed killed during the destruction of Ponyville but who instead grew up into a suave criminal KnowledgeBroker, says when he meets up with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo that he likes to think that the [[TooDumbToLive old Snails]] ''did'' die that night, since he's so different now.
** Sweetie Belle seems to have done this as a [[StepfordSmiler defensive mechanism]] for all the heartbreak she suffered after Ponyville's destruction, cutting all ties to her past and refusing to dwell on what she's lost, becoming rather cold and amoral in the process.
* ''FanFic/TheWandererOfTheNorth'': When Celestia and Luna were having sisterly discussion in their ancient native language, Luna called Celestia by her true birth name. Celestia told Luna that 'Nikóleva' died long ago and that she is 'Celestia'.
* In ''Fanfic/OutOfTheDeadLand'', the Winter Soldier actually wants very badly to be the "dead man" in question, but has been so broken by HYDRA's brainwashing that he believes there's no chance of him doing so.
--> ''Christ'', he wanted to be Bucky Barnes, he wanted that dead man's life, it was the only thing he could ever remember wanting, but he made his face go cold.
-->"No such person," he said to Steve. "You ought to know that by now."
* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/10879595/1/Lelouch-of-the-Rebellion-RX-Demonic-Knights Lelouch of the Rebellion RX: Demonic Knights]]'' has this declaration coming from Lelouch in the first chapter.
-->'''Lelouch:''' Do not try to lure me into a false sense of security, Emperor. I have abandoned the name Lelouch Lamperouge. Lelouch Lamperouge died in Toyko yesterday, executed in secret by the Black Knights for being a spy. [[BecomingTheMask My name is Zero now]]. I am a parentless man who only seeks to destroy [[TheEmpire Britannia]].
* In ''Fanfic/TheVow'', after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Shen]] has taken over Gongmen City and is talking with his former fiancée [[OriginalCharacter Lianne]] after thirty years of separation, their strained conversation leads Shen to say that the man she loved is gone when Lianne wants to believe that he can still be salvaged. The author has posted in Website/YouTube a video based on this conversation by using the "I Know Those Eyes/This Man Is Dead" song from the ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' musical by Wildhorn-Murphy.
-->'''Lianne''': You used to be such a good man, Shen. [[YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood You were destined for great things, but you simply became... misguided]]. What happened to make you so hateful? What happened to the man I loved?
-->'''Shen''': What happened to him? What ''happened'' to him?! He died! He was left abandoned on the steps of his own home, humiliated and forced to toil and carve his way in the world! Every day he died a little more, his new reality cutting little pieces from him that was left.
-->'''Lianne''': But Shen —
-->'''Shen''': You think he's still here? You are a naïve fool. The man you want is long gone. He died thirty years ago, when in his hour of need, those he most trusted and ''loved'' with all his being betrayed him! They abandoned him to his fate and moved on with their lives!
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'' combines it with a MeaningfulRename for Rei.
--> "Rei Ayanami is dead. It was what she wanted, the only thing she ''could'' want, and I hope she is at peace. I am not her. I am Rei Akagi, Ritsuko's little sister."
* ''FanFic/EchoingSilence'' takes place in an AlternateUniverse wherein [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Twilight Sparkle]] is exiled from Equestria to the [[CrapsackWorld Dusklands]] for her actions during the Royal Wedding (which here did not result in Chrysalis revealing herself). Five years of BreakTheCutie and a TraumaCongaLine later, [[TookALevelInBadass she is now]] Diadem, the adopted Princess of the Den, having built an entirely new life for herself, and deliberately trying to forget everything that happened to her before coming to the Dusklands. [[CurbStompBattle For your health]], [[BerserkButton don't ever]] [[DoNotCallMePaul refer to her by her old name]].
* After being revived in ''Fanfic/CoincidenceAndMisunderstandings'', [[WesternAnimation/TeenTitans Terra]] insists on being called Persephone, having lost all her memories from before she'd been turned to stone. Notably, Beast Boy tries and fails to rekindle their relationship, because she just isn't the girl he used to know.
* A significant plot point in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8527691/42/An-Incomplete-Potter-Collection Wagging Tail Ashikabi]]'' is that for over a decade [[Literature/HarryPotter Sirius Black]] stays in his animagus form and thinks of himself only as Padfoot. Occasionally, he'll think of something that could be done but insists that while Sirius could do it, Padfoot can't.
* After over a decade of being known only as Spare in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12321442/1/Innocence-Lost Innocence Lost]]'', Harry Potter returns years after having apparently died on a mission and insists that "Spare died on that mission. I got better."
* The premise of ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12505873/1/In-a-Name In a Name]]'' is that [[StrangerInAFamiliarLand after fifty years in the future]], WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack forgot his birth name. Even when he's reminded, he feels like it's the name of someone he barely knows and hasn't seen in a long time. During a talk over the matter with his father, Jack is told that his name doesn't change who he is and Jack will still be his son regardless of his name. After some thinking, Jack decides to remain Samurai Jack so as to remember his friends from the future who knew him by that name.
* Multiple times throughout ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11581541/5/Entropy Entropy]]'', [[LegacyCharacter Zero]] refers to [[Anime/CodeGeass Suzaku]] as a separate entity, such as stating he'd been a fool and died a fool.
** Likewise, after finding he's become immortal, Lelouch states that Lelouch vi Britannia is dead and takes up the name L.L.
* A lot of [[Literature/TheRailwaySeries Sodor]] [[WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine Mythos]] fanfictions that involve the author’s headcanon of what became of [[http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/98462_and_87546 98462 & 87546]] portray them as feeling this way when it comes to what they were like before they were initially booted off of Sodor.
* [[Anime/CodeGeass Kallen Kouzuki]] reacts violently to being called such in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5274577/6/My-Queen My Queen]]'' after learning Lelouch loved her and decides to stay by his side, even against the world.
-->'''Kallen:''' Don't call me by that name! My name is Kallen Stadtfeld! Stadtfeld! I am a Britannian knight and I serve Prince Lelouch vi Britannia!
* In Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm, this is [[ComicBook/{{Excalibur}} Peter Wisdom's]] attitude towards his former identity of [[Literature/HarryPotter Regulus Black]], stating in Chapter 72 that "he died thirteen years ago - everything after that was a bonus."
* In ''FanFic/PurpleDays'', after Joffrey recovers from a particularly nasty bout of PTSD, he finds his sister Myrcella staring at him. The inquisitive princess asks him if he's a [[MurderInc Faceless Man]], showing she's paid attention to his mannerisms and actions, none of which line up with the Joffrey she remembers. For a moment, he struggles, but in the end he's unable to stop himself from talking extensively about his journey and the things he's seen, collapsing as he admits the Joffrey Myrcella remembers died countless years ago. A moment later, Myrcella embraces him, saying she's thankful old Joffrey is gone. Pausing as he digests this, he admits he is thankful as well.
* ''Fanfic/LeCommencementDuDiableBlanc'': Remy [=LeBeau=] is adamant he's no longer Harry Potter and won't come back to being the neglected little freak whom no one loved. His adopted cousin Emil fully approves.
-->'''Emil:''' Remy, you ain't that kid. Ya gotta understand, that boy don't exist no more. Ya my cousin Remy, not dat whale's.
* Most of the surviving SHIELD agents in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/10799406/chapters/23958186 The War is Far from Over Now]]'' refuse to rejoin SHIELD after the events of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' and take on new identities so they can stay with Stark Industries after Tony saved them from SHIELD's various enemies. When trying to re-recruit them, most current SHIELD agents understand and say "They just have one of those faces" to pretend they mistook the former agents for someone else. Years after the fact, Natasha, who never considered what happened to the loyal SHIELD agents, has to be outright told by one of them that Agent 33 was tortured to death by SHIELD's enemies (much like numerous other agents) and her name is Kara Palamas.
* James Barnes in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/13594464/chapters/31206384 (After) The End of the Line]]'' no longer considers himself "Bucky" and he definitely doesn't want to be the Winter Soldier again. Even the narration only ever calls him James.
* ''FanFic/TheFlashSentryChronicles'': [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]], after Flash learns that is real name is Flash Relic he chooses to keep going by the name Flash Sentry since that is who he is now and he still doesn't know everything about his past.
-->'''Flash:''' I think I'd prefer to remain Flash Sentry, I'm pretty sure that's who I am today, not Flash Relic. After all, I was just looking for answers to who I was, but I still don't have them. Until then...I think Flash Relic will stay there, lost to that fire all those years ago.
** Played Straight when [[spoiler:Flash yells at his birth parents, Trail Blazer and Misty Veil, to not call him Flash Relic, saying Flash Relic died when the orphanage they left him at burned down]].
* In the climax of ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', Princess Cadance decides this is the case with [[spoiler:Prince Jewelius, her favourite cousin and surrogate little brother]] who has for years secretly [[GreenEyedMonster hated her for her superior popularity]] and proven himself to be an irredeemable monster, telling it to him in a short TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
-->'''Cadance''': I finally understand, [[spoiler:cousin]]. Why [[spoiler:the [[EmotionEater changelings]] weren't able to feed on your love]] and why my spell [[NoSell didn't work on you]]. It's because [[TheSociopath you have no heart to feel love and therefore no love to give]]!\\
'''[[spoiler:Jewelius]]''': What, are you going to kill [[spoiler:your own flesh and blood]]?\\
'''Cadance''': The [[spoiler:cousin, brother,]] I knew died a long time ago. His heart anyway.
[[/folder]]

%%* ThatManIsDead/ComicBooks

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'':
** During Rorschach's therapy sessions, he describes the DespairEventHorizon that led him to this state:
-->'''Rorschach:''' It was Kovacs who said 'Mother' then, muffled under latex. It was Kovacs who closed his eyes. It was Rorschach who opened them again... [[HeWhoFightsMonsters The void breathed hard on my heart, turning its illusions to ice and shattering them.]] Was clear then. Free to scrawl own design on morally blank world. Was Rorschach.
** Dr. Manhattan subtly invokes this trope after [[spoiler: [[NoSell being disintegrated by Ozymandias]],]] and before describing just how much ''[[DeityOfHumanOrigin more]]'' than Jon Osterman he has become.
--->'''Dr. Manhattan:''' Restructuring myself after the subtraction of my intrinsic field was the first trick I learned. It didn't kill Osterman... did you think it would kill ''me?''
* Rebis does this in Grant Morrison's ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'', when Cliff insists on calling him/her 'Larry'. For those who haven't read the comics, Rebis is an alchemical fusion of a man, a woman, and a "negative spirit" - Cliff knew the man, Larry, when the three were still separate. In a later version of ''Doom Patrol'', the incarnation of the Negative Man insists that he ''is'' Larry, even though he secretly suspects he's just an energy being who happens to have Larry's memories.
* ''ComicBook/GothamCityGarage'': Harley Quinzel used to work for ComicBook/LexLuthor in the past. After defecting she renames herself Quinn and claims she doesn't know anybody called "Harley Quinzel".
-->'''Harley:''' Harley Quinn, by the way.\\
'''[[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]]:''' Harley... Quin-'''zel'''?\\
'''Harley:''' Never heard of her, sounds like a real piece of garbage!
* In the climactic volume of ''Comicbook/TheSandman'', right after [[spoiler:Daniel becomes the new Dream]], he responds to a character addressing him by his old name with, "No. Not anymore." He also refuses to go by the name [[spoiler:"Morpheus", the name of the previous Dream. He is simply Dream of the Endless now.]]
-->''The mortal parts of [[spoiler:Daniel Hall]] were burned away. What was left was... Transfigured. [[spoiler:I am Dream of the Endless.]]''
* In ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl1982 a Bronze Age story]]'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'s college advisor Barry Metzner tests an evolutionary machine in himself and accidentally creates a twisted, evil personality which takes over his body. When Supergirl tries to reach him out, he shouts Barry Metzner doesn't exist anymore.
-->'''Supergirl:''' You don't believe that, Dr. Metzner!\\
'''Metzner:''' Do not call me that, girl! I warn you|\\
'''Supergirl:''' You can't kill me, Dr. Metzner! You're not bad... You're no killer!\\
'''Metzner:''' I am Barry Metzner no more, curse you!
* ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'':
** "Frank Castle is dead. I'm the Punisher now", or "Castle died with his family" or some variant has always been one of the character's stock lines.
** In the "Nightmare" miniseries, a former soldier named Jake Niman loses his family in an apparent mob hit in Central Park, exactly like Frank did. He teams up with Frank to track his family's killers. It's revealed that at war, Jake developed another personality named "Johnny Nightmare", who reveled in killing. He eventually quit the army because he was afraid that he couldn't keep himself from permanently becoming Johnny. He also gained regenerative powers because of an army experiment, and after he's shot in the head, he returns as his psychotic alter ego. Frank eventually lures him to Central Park where their families died, and in the ensuing fight, Niman takes apart the entire concept of the trope and forces Punisher to confront the fact that as much as he might wish otherwise, Frank Castle never died.
--->'''Johnny:''' Like the attempt at psy-ops, Frank. This is the place where you "died". Ha. You wish. Really. It's what you want. It's why you're here today. It's why you're here every day. You got a war, and that's your objective, buddy. You want to be gone. But here's the thing, Frankie...I can't kill you. No one can. Jake and me, we were two guys. But Jake's dead. I'm alive. Now, you...that's a whole different snafu. Frank Castle '''is''' The Punisher. He didn't get killed here with his family. He just got his priorities switched up, that's all. No more little league, you know? You see, Frank, you survived the war. You came back. And you came back from here, from what happened in this park...And you just...keep...coming...back...Frank Castle is alive. You grew up and had parents and first dates and movies and perfect nights and football and screw-ups and laughs and love...Not hate. Love. You went to Jake in the hospital to tell him you were gonna kill the Kozlowskis, right? 'Cause you flinched. 'Cause for one second, you didn't pull the trigger. You feel every kill. You feel it, and it shreds you. That's why you want to die. Your old weapons. Your bacon and eggs. Your cot. Your bandages and your boot instead of Quick-Clot and a door ram. You know you're not playing to win...You're making a good show. What's your prep? What's your strategy? You fly by the seat of your pants. The skin of your teeth. You've been in it. That's not how we roll, Dutch. Prep, intel, execution. P.I.E. or we die. But not you, huh? There you go! Look at this guy! Getting up after that apocalyptic beatdown! Right there! That's the cosmic joke! Even with his epic half-assery...Frank Castle lives! You want to be the monster, but you're a human being. You want to kill, but every time you do, you want to die so much more. So you get shot. You get blown up. You get thrown out of buildings. And you always drag yourself away...because you're just like me, Frank...You. Can't. Die.
-->'''Frank:''' ''I see them again. The next three seconds last three hours. Maria. Barbara. Frank Jr. This is where it happened. I loved them. I still love them. I'm still there. I'm here. I told Jake that I didn't use that shotgun because "It was already over". It's not. It never is. This is my life. This is my entire life. And it just keeps going. I still feel things. Even if it's just disgust and rage. At a child dying. At women abused. At evil unpunished. I'm not a monster; Johnny Nightmare is. I'm something else.''
* During the ''ComicBook/ZeroHour'' CrisisCrossover in 1994:
-->'''Green Arrow''': ComicBook/GreenLantern!\\
'''Hal Jordan''': Not Green Lantern, Arrow. Not anymore. I've taken the name Parallax.
** Wonderfully parodied in Creator/GarthEnnis' ''Comicbook/{{Hitman}}'' where someone tries to talk to Sixpack [[DrunkenMaster (his power is being so drunk he thinks he's a super hero)]].
-->'''Sixpack:''' "s'not Sixpack. [[AlcoholHic I've takenna name parralaksh now (hic.)"]]
* From ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
-->'''Spidey:''' "Brock..."\\
'''ComicBook/{{Venom}}:''' [Actually ''covers Spider-Man's mouth with his hands.'' It was cooler than it sounds.] "Stop calling us that! We are Venom now!"
** At one point, shortly before ComicBook/TheCloneSaga, after Spider-Man's parents had been revealed to be fakes and Aunt May had a stroke and went into a coma, Spider-Man tried to kill his Peter Parker persona. He then considered himself The Spider, and claimed to hate Peter Parker when referred to by that name.
* Former ComicBook/GreenLantern Guy Gardner discovers that his tattoo artist is the notorious Silver Age villain, the Tattooed Man, Abel Tarrant. The artist informs him that Tarrant is dead, and should stay that way.
* ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo''
** A samurai getting {{revenge}} for his father by killing his four murderers encounters the last guy on his list, who has become a monk and abandoned his old life completely ("that shameful person I was is dead"). [[spoiler: After ''a lot'' of convincing from Usagi, the vengeful samurai spares the monk and takes his topknot (the last vestige of his old life) instead.]]
** A technical case: [[spoiler: Usagi meets the son of one of his comrades, who died in the battle that made him a ronin. Inspired by his father's life, the son is training to become a samurai. During a fight with bandits the son is knocked unconscious and is rescued by his father, now a lame begger. The father reveals he's been following his son with pride for years; Usagi wants to reveal this to the son, but the father refuses to let his son see him now, "a parody of [the warrior] he once was."]]
** And again in ''The Patience of the Spider'', in which a general, fleeing a failed rebellion against his Lord, hides in a peasant village. Over the years, he grows to like his life there, so when one of his subordinates returned to tell him the time was right to seek revenge, he sent the messenger away, saying the man he was looking for was "Someone who is no longer alive"
* In one ''[[Franchise/{{Batman}} Detective Comics]]'' story, a [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Cris Angel]]-esque [[StageMagician magician]] named Art Weiner claimed that he would only go by his stage name, Loxias, because he had "Buried the simple magician knows as Art Weiner." Subverted, in that [[spoiler: The person saying this was actually the Joker impersonating Weiner. And he had, in fact, murdered and buried the real one.]]
* Happened to [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]] member [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]], though in his case, it was a little more complicated, as the person claiming Pym was dead was an ''actual'' separate personality cultivated by his mental breakdown.
* ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' - The Trapster, a long time Frightful Four member used to be called [[UnfortunateNames Paste Pot Pete]]. Call him anything related to that and you'll trigger his BerserkButton.
* Adrian Chase also used a variant of this phrase in his reminiscence in ''Comicbook/{{Vigilante}}''#50, feeling as if the bomb that slew his family and triggered his emergence as the Vigilante also slew him. However, Chase partially subverted the usual intent of the phrase, in that he maintained his work as New York district attorney and his dual identity as Adrian Chase during much of his tenure as the Vigilante.
* In ''[[ComicBook/UltimateXMen Ultimate X-Men]]'' Yuri says this to [[spoiler: Storm]].
--> "Yuri ''is'' dead, [[spoiler: Ororo]]. My name is '''Deathstrike'''."
* ''[[Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier]]'':
--> '''M''': "[[Franchise/JamesBond Jim]], you can call me M. Behind my back, you can even call me [[Series/TheAvengers Mother]]. But [[Film/TheThirdMan Harry]]...Harry died a long time ago in the sewers under Vienna. Let's leave it like that, shall we?"
* [[ComicBook/TwoFace Harvey Dent]] in ''Batman'' doesn't respond to his birth name much, and will often correct people depending on who's in charge.
* Black Mask's "false face" gang: "...the largest organization in the history of Gotham's underworld... common criminals 'slain' and reborn behind masks, each with ''greater power'' and all as members of the ''False Face Society of Gotham''." They wear cheap Halloween masks at first, then switch to more intricate face-coverings after robbing the mask exhibit at the Gotham Museum. Black Mask himself no longer wears a mask at all, his original face was destroyed in a fire, truly destroying Roman Sionis in the process.
* In ''VideoGame/TheDarkness'', when [[LightIsNotGood The Angelus]] possesses Lauren Franchetti, at one point, she decides to spare Lauren's daughter Appolonia, but says that is her final act as Appolonia's mother.
* In ''ComicBook/MegaMan'' issue #2, Mega Man begins to refuse to go by Rock, feeling that he is no longer the same robot. A pep talk from Roll helps him snap out of it.
* ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'': Speedball's {{grimdark}} transformation after ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' left no cliche unturned, including this one. "Robbie Baldwin is dead. Speedball is dead. Now it's time for Penance."
* In IDW ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW Transformers]]'' #125, [[spoiler:Optimus Prime "dies"... and Orion Pax is reborn.]]
* Near the end of ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'', Jesse summons the Saint of Killers using the Saint's mortal remains. When the Saint shows up, he's not impressed and shatters the corpse, saying that the man he was is long dead and what Jesse dug up was just bones and nothing more.
* Inverted in ComicBook/LesLegendaires in the backstory of [[BarbarianHero Razzia]]; as he was a kid, his village, including his own sister, were seemingly slaughtered by an Elite corp of soldiers known as the 1000 Wolves Army. Out of rage after this, the so far pacifist bookworm Razzia gave up his identity and took the alias Korbo, which he then used as he found and killed the 1000 Wolves and eventually joined BigBad Darkhell as TheDragon. Then, during an invasion, he finds out he just fought and killed his own sister, who had actually survived and reveals to him in her dying breath that it was Darkhell who destroyed their village while framing the 1000 Wolves. Infuriated, he then leaves Darkhell's forces, stating that "Korbo is dead and Razzia from Rymar is reborn".
* In the graphic novel: “ComicBook/SgtRock: Between Hell and a Hard Place”, Sargent Rock explains his silly custom of assigning nicknames to their tropes chillingly invoking this trope: The men these soldiers were as civilians must be dead now, and all they are (must be) now are soldiers completely willingly to cross the MoralEventHorizon because WarIsHell.
--> '''Sargent Rock:''' ''"Look... who you were, you left stateside. You're lucky, you'll get to be that person again. In Easy, who we are now is all that matters. [[WarIsHell This war,]] [[MoralEventHorizon you're gonna do some things the person you were might find damn hard to live with]]. So I'm doing him a favor, and leavin' 'im home."''
* ComicBook/NikolaiDante's half-brother Viktor Romanov takes the name Dante after [[spoiler: his father Dmitri, resurrected via Weapons Crest transfer in the body of Viktor's brother Arkady, kills his wife Galya.]] Also Nikolai himself, [[spoiler: finally taking the name Romanov when civil war breaks out and he sides against the Tsar, Vladimir Makarov the Conqueror, and his daughter Jena whom Nikolai loves passionately.]]
* The more verbal versions of The ComicBook/IncredibleHulk will respond to people calling him Dr. Banner with "The doctor is out."
* In The ComicBook/{{New 52}} ''ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}'' Annual #1, when Cindy Cooke calls Firefly "Garfield", he replies "Garfield Lynns is dead." [[spoiler: Turns out he means it; Firefly is Ted Carson, who was believed to be one of Firefly's victims. He killed Lynns and used the fact Lynns was a known pyromaniac to frame him.]]
* In ''ComicBook/{{Thanos}}'', Thanos is surprised to see Star Lord and says "Rumor had you dead, Peter". Peter Quill replies "The Star Lord is dead. Dead by my hand, understand?"
* In ''[[ComicBook/TheMultiversity Society of Super-Heroes: Conquerors of the Counter-World #1]]'', Doc Fate's greatest fear lies in how he fears nothing because his superhero persona has gradually made him more detached and ruthless, replacing the man he originally was.
* After [[spoiler:her brothers]] death, which may or may not be her fault, [[spoiler:Cheryl]] states that's no longer her name and she goes by "Blaze" now in ''ComicBook/AfterlifeWithArchie''.
* In ''[[ComicBook/{{Convergence}} Convergence: The Atom #1]]'', Pre-ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}} Deathstroke has been living under a fake name and is trying to make sure his past as Slade Wilson ''stays'' dead, but Ray Palmer repeatedly bringing up how Slade mercilessly slaughtered Ryan Choi pisses him off enough he decides to come out of hiding and silence Ray.
* This is the fate of [[spoiler:Bruce Wayne]] post ''ComicBook/BatmanEndgame''. Dioneseum is a mineral that heals wounds, and [[spoiler:Bruce]]'s [[spoiler: trauma]] that caused him to become [[spoiler: Batman]] is essentially healed and he has no memory of ever being [[spoiler: Batman, ]]essentially being a new man. Alfred outright says that the [[spoiler:Bruce]] that returned is "[[spoiler: the boy none of us could save]]."
* ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfClarkKent'': At Superman's lowest point, not only does he dump his Clark Kent identity, but he also tears off and incinerates his costume to proclaim ''Superman'' dead, too.
* ComicBook/SheHulk exploits this trope when assigned to help a "Danger Man" sue Roxxon for an accident that gave him AwesomeButImpractical superpowers. She argues that when the accident gave birth to Danger Man, the ordinary person he used to be, "[[PunnyName Dan Jermain]]", died, and Roxxon should provide Dan's family compensation for the loss.
* While not ''dead'', in issue 18 of ''Comicbook/AllNewWolverine'' [[Comicbook/{{X 23}} Laura]] forever severs ties with her past as the Facility's experiment and Kimura's personal punching bag, and declares that she is ''not'' X-23.
--> '''Laura''': I'm not X-23. I'm not your experiment. I'm not your @#$%ing property! You are the last person who will ever think they can own me. No one owns me! I'm not a thing. I'm Laura Kinney! I'm the daughter of Sarah. I'm the daughter of Logan." (Laura shatters the Iron Man armor she's wearing) I'm Wolverine!!!
* ''ComicBook/TheSpirit'' had a storyarc where The Spirit was facing becoming permanently crippled due to some bad knee injuries that hadnt healed properly, and this being published in the late 1940's meant that the medical knowledge to fix his injuries didnt exist yet - except possibly through the work of a Jewish doctor who had been missing for years. Unfortuantly, a surviving Nazi scientist reveals to Chief Dollan's daughter than the doctor had died in one of the concentration camps back in Germany. However, unknown to her, Sands Sareef is conducting her own investigation on the doctors work in the hopes of saving Spirit, and meets a drunken vagrant who agrees to lead her to the doctors remaining notes in return for payment. At the end, it's revealed that the vagrant IS the doctor, who was so broken after his experience in the camps that he belived that he had lost his ability to perform surgery because of damage to his hands. He hadnt, he was just so mentally scarred from his experience that he abandoned his previous identity. In the end, after performing the Spirit's operation, he is set to possibly resurrect his former identity someday, after he has learned to lot go of his trauma.
* ''ComicBook/{{Arawn}}'': Although he keeps his old name, once he becomes a godlike EvilOverlord, Arawn makes it clear to Siahm that he is [[DeityOfHumanOrigin no longer the mere mortal that she once bore]].
* ''ComicBook/BatmanVampire'':
** At the end of ''Red Rain'', Batman is turned into a vampire by Dracula, and Bruce Wayne is declared LegallyDead. Batman even says something to this effect to Alfred:
--->'''Batman''': Bruce Wayne may be gone, but the Batman will go on... forever.
** In ''Crimson Mist'', Batman has fully succumbed to his vampire nature and eagerly slaughters his RoguesGallery for their blood. Everyone in the story, including Batman himself, openly acknowledge that the man they knew is gone, because Batman [[ThouShaltNotKill would never kill]].
* In the mid-90s, Franchise/SpiderMan hit a massive low point between learning that the return of his parents was actually a scheme by the Chameleon and Harry Osborn followed by Aunt May suffering another stroke, this one possibly life-threatening. He declared himself "the Spider" and claimed that Peter Parker was dead. Thankfully, that phase didn't last long.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth'': When Adriana, Veronica Cale's advanced virtual assistant, is destroyed, Cale manages to recover some of her neural map in order to recreate her. The AI states that Adrianna is dead, and asks to be called Doctor Cyber instead.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Anime/VisionOfEscaflowne'': Folken says this when Van calls him Folken of Fanel. He says he is now [[spoiler: Folken Strategos, head of the Zaibach empire.]]
* Beelzemon says this about his previous identity as [[spoiler: Impmon]] in ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' when he encounters the kids for the second time. The dub uses "[[NeverSayDie That loser doesn't exist anymore!]]", though.
** More like an alternate ''identity'' rather than an alter ego, but in the original Japanese version of ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'':
--->'''Kaiser''': Call me 'Digimon Kaiser'.\\
'''Daisuke''': Geh, who'd call you that!? Ken, Ken, Ichijouji Ken!\\
'''Kaiser''': I'm seriously going to kill you.
** ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' also has an example that's made sort of {{Narm}}y by their tendency toward simply adding a word to an existing name when making names for OneWingedAngel forms. "I ''used'' to be Etemon, kid, but that was a long time ago! Now... [dramatic pause] I'm [=MetalEtemon!=]"
*** Then again, Metal Etemon was basically Captain Narm [[spoiler: up until he went and killed Saber Leomon]].
** From ''Anime/DigimonTheMovie''
-->Young Kari: Koromon?
-->Greymon (who digivolved from an Agumon, which was a Koromon): I'm...Greymon...now.
* Done in a funny/creepy way in the ''Manga/ExcelSaga'' manga. Watanabe, who has gone through a long series of cutie breaking moments (culminating in, after finally winning the heart of Hyatt, [[spoiler: having her taken from him by Il Palazzo]]) has become a creepy homicidal whack job addicted to BDSM porn games. After he catches Sumiyoshi in a compromising position with Ropponmatsu 2 (a robot designed to resemble a young girl) he acts completely nonchalant. When Sumiyoshi asks what happened to the old Watanabe, with a psychotic grin on his face, Watanabe calmly says "Oh that guy? He's dead".
* Happens with the main character in ''Anime/ArgentoSoma''. Starting as Takuto Kenishiro, in the first episode he has a traumatizing and disfiguring accident, and takes up a false identity to get revenge. Very near the series end, when the rest of the characters learn that, one calls him by his old name; he responds "I am Ryu Soma." (My memory of the circumstances is a bit fuzzy, though.)
* Used at the conclusion of ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'': [[BigBad Gauron]] keeps calling Sousuke by his 'old' name, from when he was a child-soldier in the local version of Afghanistan. It eventually DOES make the [[NotSoStoic otherwise eternally-composed Sousuke crack]]...
* Naraku in ''Manga/InuYasha'', in regard to his former self, Onigumo.
-->'''Kaede''': Do you mean, "Aye, Onigumo"? Is that not your name?\\
'''Naraku''': Onigumo... That name brings me such fond memories.
* Ryo/Zane in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' when he assumes the "Hell Kaiser" persona in the dub: "The Zane you think you knew is long gone."
** ''And'', Judai said it Guardian Baou said this when the villain addressed him as [[SuperPoweredEvilSide the Supreme King.]] (Not very enthusiastically, however. He just said. "No... He's gone...")
* ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'' has the Barian Emperor Nasch declare to Yuma, after a tirade on how [[NotBrainwashed he sided with Barian World of his own volition]], that his friend [[spoiler: Shark / Ryoga Kamishiro]] died when he embraced his fate as a Barian lord.
* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'':
** "You need to forget about her. If you ever see me after today, the last thing you should do is approach me. The only thing that's going to be alive within me by then will be the demon." Ironically, [[spoiler:even the identity she is referred to as up to that point is an assumed one]].
** Rena did this pre-moving back to Hinamizawa. She changed her name from her original [[spoiler:"Reina"]] to distance herself from her past.
** [[spoiler:Rika]] does a variation in ''Rei'' when she breaks away from [[spoiler:Bernkastel]].
* Subverted in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' with [[spoiler: Tohya]] who didn't as much threw away his old identity as [[spoiler:Battler]] as much as he is ''unable'' to accept it. Not only because trying to remember this identity initially caused him unbearable headaches due to brain damage (leading to a seizure), but also because the feeling of having memories that are not his own is too terrifying
* In the last episode of the first season of ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'', AntiHero Hei says [[spoiler: that his loveable and harmless persona, Li]] "no longer exists".
* In ''Animerica'', [[spoiler:once Kiyone's finally succumbed to his evil side and stabs Lita, he instills fear into her by stating:]]
--> [[spoiler:'''Kiyone''': Your brother no longer exists. You can call me... (smirks evilly) '''demon'''.]]
* In ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'', when Satella confronts [[spoiler:Fiore about being her long-lost sister Florette]], she gets this in response.
* Late in the anime version of ''Anime/{{Pretear}}'', this trope appears when [[spoiler:Sasame]] betrays his side.
-->[[spoiler:Sasame: The Knight of Sound...the Sasame you knew...no longer exists.]]
* Scar from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' never reveals his true name, saying he discarded it. Shortly before his death in [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]], Lust asks him for his name. He responds that the true owner of his body, who had a holy name, died long ago. As he leaves to accept his fate, Lust bids him farewell with "Then goodbye... Scar."
* In the second season of ''Anime/PrincessTutu'', when Ahiru tries to talk to the DarkMagicalGirl using the name she uses when untransformed, she usually responds with something like "I've already told you--there is no [[spoiler:Rue]]!" [[spoiler:When Mytho uses the name "Rue" to call her out of Despair and she responds, it's a sign she's given up on that part of herself.]]
* In ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Rock ends the first arc by calling out his former boss (who spent most of said arc arranging his demise), stating that Okajima Rokuro is already dead and thus signifying his departure from his {{salaryman}} position and former life and joining the crew of the Lagoon.
* In the first season of ''Anime/TheBigO'', chapter 4 "Underground Terror", begins with Roger the Negotiatior hired by Paradigm Press (a branch of [[MegaCorp Paradigm Group]]) to convince [[IntrepidReporter Michael Seebach]], to hand over a manuscript he was working on in exchange for a large retirement package. Seebach disappeared three months ago. So Roger tracks the reporter to [[RoomFullOfCrazy an apartment that Seebach has rented]] and suddenly the room burst in flames. Roger escapes in the nick of time and then we hear this dialogue:
-->'''Roger Smith''': Are you Michael Seebach?\\
'''Man in mummy bandages''': Michael Seebach has vanished from this world. Go and tell that to your masters!\\
'''Roger Smith''': All right, so, what name you go by?\\
'''Man in mummy bandages''': By the time being, you can call me [[NietzscheWannabe Schwarzwald]].\\
'''Roger Smith''': Black Forrest?\\
'''Man in mummy bandages''': Report this to your masters: You can tell them (EvilLaugh) that they will never see their darling reporter in this city again! ([[LaughingMad Deranged Evil Laugh]]).
** And that was even echoed later in chapter 17, "Leviathan"
-->'''Roger Smith''': We all know that newspaper reporter Michael Seebach no longer exists in this city\\
'''[[CorruptCorporateExecutive Paradigm Group Executive]]''': Michael Seebach is dead, but the agitator who calls himself Schwarzwald has returned.
* If you call [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 Setsuna F. Seiei]] by the name of [[spoiler: Soran Ibrahim]], he'll be shocked. [[HeroicBSOD very, very shocked]].
* Subverted in the ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' OAV. [[spoiler: Sasami believes that she died after taking a terrible fall when she was a toddler and that Tsunami had to revive her by merging with her lifeless body. Truth is, Sasami ''was'' about to die after said accident, but Tsunami merged with her to heal her injuries and have a body host. Because Sasami's young mind couldn't handle the major weight of what happened, she reasoned herself that Sasami really did die and that who she was now was just a vessel.]]
* A variation occurs early in ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid'' when Nove tells Einhart the Sankt Kaiser and the King of Underworld are long gone and that Vivio and Ixpellia are just her friends. [[spoiler:Vivio is merely the [[CloneJesus clone of the Sankt Kaiser]], but Ixpellia really was the King of the Underworld [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld centuries ago]].]]
* "D-Boy is no more... there's only Anime/TekkamanBlade!!" *cue him launching to the moon and kicking Radam butt*
* In ''Manga/NabariNoOu'', Yoite claims that [[spoiler:Sora]], the name he was known by before [[spoiler:being found by Hattori]] never existed.
* ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'' gives us this: Mamoru: You're Pizza of the Four Machine Kings! Soldato-J: That was a false name! The man named Pizza is dead! I am J. Reborn by the J-jewel as Soldato-J!
* Although he never says the actual quote, an important part of the character of Spike in ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' is that he considers himself already dead, having 'died' during his backstory [[spoiler:when he faked his own death to escape TheSyndicate]] and that his current life is just a 'bad dream' he'll eventually have to wake up from.
* In ''Anime/TransformersArmada'', when Wheeljack arrives on Earth, he tells Hotshot that the bot he knew is dead, and the new Wheeljack is a Decepticon.
* ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'', when Megatron upgrades himself to Galvatron:
--> '''Galvatron''': I have changed. I am no longer Megatron. Megatron was a loser!\\
'''Ransack''': Woah, if you ain't Megatron no more, then who are you?\\
'''Galvatron''': I am invincible! I am Galvatron!
** And then possibly a {{Lampshaded}} {{Subversion}}, as his personality doesn't really change:
-->'''Optimus Prime''': New look, same old lines.
** There's also Overhaul, who after being reborn as Leobreaker, proclaims this from atop a cliff:
-->'''Leobreaker''': "I have embraced my destiny. I am of Jungle Planet now. I'm Overhaul no more, I am LEOBREAKER!"
* In ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', Nagi claims that [[spoiler: Queen Arika has died on that ravine and the Arika that Nagi is with is just plain ol' Arika.]]
* The Lord of Terror episode of ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'':
--> '''Belldandy:''' No, Urd!\\
'''[=LOT=]!Urd:''' Urd...? She no longer exists, and that name is now forgotten.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': When Aizen's status as the BigBad was first revealed, Renji thought this trope was in effect and declared that he was no longer the Captain Aizen that he remembered. Aizen's casual response was that the Aizen Renji remembered had never existed in the first place. It had all been a carefully crafted image to hide the truth, and he actually blamed Renji for being foolish enough for having fallen for it.
* The GrandFinale of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has [[spoiler:Lelouch]], after being killed by [[spoiler:"Zero"]], telling [[spoiler:Suzaku]] that he must go on with his life as [[spoiler:Zero]] because he's been declared dead by everyone.
* Similar to the Negima example above, in ''{{Manga/Loveless}}'', the two female Zeros [[SchoolgirlLesbians Kouya and Yamato]] [[spoiler:forfeit their match against Soubi and Ritsuka, meaning they can't fight anymore. They decide to "die" and call Nagisa to let her know.]]
-->'''Kouya''': From now on, we're going to live... [[spoiler:As plain, ordinary Kouya and plain, ordinary Yamato. Your Zeros have died.]]
* Subverted in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'':
-->'''Dekim:''' Zechs Merquise?! I thought you were dead!
-->'''Zechs:''' That's right, I was. But, I find that I cannot quietly sleep in my grave while Treize’s spirit is still roaming among us.
** In episode 8 of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', after Zechs executes the Alliance commanding officer who took part [[spoiler:in the Sanc Kingdom invasion in AC 182]]:
-->'''Zechs:''' May you rest in peace, the betrayed and outraged [[spoiler:Milliardo Peacecraft]].
* There's a positive example of this at the end of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin''. Knowing that his fighting prowess is readily fading, Kenshin sends a note to his longtime InspectorJavert / reluctant ally Saito, offering to take him up on a final duel. Saito tears up the offer, signaling that he's finally ending his grudge, and explains that the man he wanted to kill, the Hitokiri Battousai, no longer exists, and that he has no interest in fighting Himura Kenshin.
* In ''Anime/MaiOtome'', when Aswad BlackKnight Rad is confronted by Youko and Midori, Youko calls him [[spoiler:"Reito" (the name he used to go by before he was killed and [[WeCanRebuildHim rebuilt as a cyborg]])]], prompting him to use this quote.
* In ''Anime/MaiHime'', when Tate fights [[spoiler:Obsidian Lord]], he remarks that normally Tate would give up already, Tate responds that it may be so, but "that guy is already dead" [[BackFromTheDead (and not without a reason)]]
* Miki of ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'' pulls an inverted quote of how she claims that the villain that Love fought is Eas all along, and that the woman known as Setsuna never existed. Love runs away to prove her wrong.
** Played straight in the next episode:
--->'''Wester''': Come to your senses, Eas!\\
'''Cure Passion''': I am no longer Eas!
* In ''Manga/VampireKnight'' [[spoiler: Yuuki is revealed to have been a pureblood vampire of the Kuran family all along. When Zero asks whether the human Yuuki still exists somewhere inside of her Yuuki replies that the human Yuuki no longer exists as the Vampire Yuuki 'ate her.']]
* In the fourth season of ''Anime/{{Bakugan}}'', [[spoiler:Mag Mel says this about Emperor Barodius when they're revealed to be one and the same.]]
* Legally speaking, ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'''s Clair Stanfield [[FakingTheDead "died"]] aboard the Flying Pussyfoot along with numerous other passengers. Since then, he's purchased a new identity ([[spoiler:Felix Walken]]) for the purposes of [[spoiler:getting married]], and insists that everyone call him that from now on.

* In ''Manga/{{Monster}}'', the real names of Johan and Anna Liebert are never revealed.
* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', when Touma's memories are erased, he pretends it didn't happen so Index and the others don't worry. In private however, he sadly remarks that the old Touma who Index is in love with is dead, and all that is left is him.
* Not said verbatim, but you can definitely feel the change in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' when [[spoiler:Homura Akemi]] decides to change her image. At that point, [[spoiler:{{Moe}}[[{{Adorkable}} mura]] becomes [[TheUnfettered Homurambo.]]]] [[NotSoStoic But her old personality isn't completely gone...]]
** Actually said by this line: [[spoiler:[[InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn "I won't depend on anyone, anymore."]]]]
* After ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' finally smashes Tobi's mask, the latter tells the heroes they can call him by his old name if they wish, but it no longer means anything to him. [[spoiler:Abandoning his old name and identity made it so much easier for Obito to commit himself to the AssimilationPlot without feeling like he was betraying everything he ever believed in.]]
-->'''Tobi''': "I'm no one. I don't want to be anyone. All I care about is completing the Moon's Eye plan."
** [[spoiler: Subverted in Chapter 665, where he declares he is not [[BigBad Madara]], but rather [[HesBack Obito Uchiha]].]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Obito''': "I'm not you. The current me is the one who wanted to become Hokage: Obito Uchiha!"]]
* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'':
** [[spoiler:Reiner Braun]] claims this in the aftermath of his VillainousBSOD.
** Historia Reiss gives up her old name and personality ([[spoiler:Krista Lenz]]) after her true identity is brought to light.
* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Dr. Gero claims that he passed away when he became Android 20, though this was more him trying to hide the fact he is Dr. Gero.
* Subverted in ''Anime/CrossAnge'' where Ange insists to Momoka to call her Ange instead of her real name Angelise. Momoka doesn't bite and still insists on calling her that regardless.
* ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'' has a third-person take on this trope in one of the [[WholeEpisodeFlashback backstory episodes]], when [[{{Jerkass}} Sanzo]] tells Gojyo that the SerialKiller Cho Gonou [[MetaphoricallyTrue is dead]], leading Gojyo to thinking that he's been executed. Turns out the PowersThatBe allowed Gonou to become TheAtoner [[MeaningfulRename under the new name of Cho Hakkai]]. (Upon Gojyo's angry reaction Sanzo simply points out that they couldn't have killed him since [[ThouShaltNotKill Buddhism forbids it]].)
** Hakkai himself does this right before killing Chin Yisou, who keeps addressing him by his old name. This happens to be the exact point where he sorts out the issues with his past, fully embracing his new identity and his goals as part of Sanzo's team.
* Played with in ''Manga/InsideMari''. As a child [[spoiler:Mari's]] mother forcibly changed her name from [[spoiler:Fumiko]] to [[spoiler:Mari]] to distance her from the memory of her deceased grandmother, who her mother loathed for being [[DotingGrandparent too affectionate]]. After the event [[spoiler:Mari's]] personality became more subdued and aloof.
* [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' with Dio Brando. In Part 1 he goes by his first and last names, showing no preference for how he's referred to. [[spoiler: When he comes back in Part 3, he goes solely by his first name that has been completely capitalized as DIO. Given his AGodAmI mindset and the fact that his first name is Italian for "God", it reads more like a title and less like a name.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Played with in ''WebVideo/CriticalRole''. [[Creator/TravisWillingham Grog]] takes the pseudonym "Phillip" for a pit fight, which he promptly loses. When he comes back for a rematch, he says "Philip is dead! There is only [[LargeHam GROG THE VENGEFUL]]!"
* A variation is used in ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'' with Bobby Jacks. 'Make it Rob, please,' Oddly, it signifies a HeelFaceTurn rather than the other way around.
* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'': "There is no Joey. There is only Steve!"
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_MqZn7E-mk "Hanzo Hasashi is dead.]] My name... Is ''[[Franchise/MortalKombat Scorpion]]''."
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', Taylor slowly subsumes herself into her "Skitter" persona, becoming a ruthless and feared parahuman warlord in control of a major American city, but one that distinctly cared for the individuals under her rule. After [[spoiler:joining the Wards]], she adopts the identity of [[spoiler:Weaver]], a KnightTemplar WellIntentionedExtremist driven to stop the end of the world no matter who she needs to kill, rejecting all bonds and devaluing all her emotional ties. Finally, after [[spoiler:failing to prevent the end of the world but at least saving the multiverse]], she resumes being Taylor again.
* In ''Franchise/{{Noob}}'', this happens to [[spoiler:Arthéon]] from the in-game perspective. At the beginning of the fourth novel and Season 5, the player behind him gets a job controlling the equivalent of a NonPlayerCharacter with human instead of artificial intelligence. The process involved pasting the statistics that the character is supposed to have whitin the game's story on [[spoiler:Arthéon]]'s standard gaming avatar while the player had to start roleplaying to fit his new story role. Since the player had very recently decided to adopt a new attitude towards both his in-game and real life when he got offered his job, he decided to act as if this trope applied to his former game persona. That included informing the other players with whom he used to hang out that "There is no more [full name of the old gaming avatar], there's just [character that I'm roleplaying].".
* Heavily implied with Blake in ''WebVideo/RWBYAbridged'', who insists that she doesn't have a name and only refers to herself as "[[HalfHumanHybrid Cat Girl]]", and soon afterwards reveals her past life as a terrorist, which left her so scared that she questions whether the world she sees is really what's real, or if she's so broken that she doesn't even realize what the world is still like anymore. [[spoiler: Luckily, after a couple episodes, she's already showing signs of getting better and has started letting other people know her real name again.]]
* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' proper, Yang and Raven confront each other for possession of the Relic of Knowledge and Yang [[CallingTheOldManOut proceeds to call out her mother over her actions]] leading to this moment. She admits she has no idea who Raven really is outside of Taiyang's recollections of her as a troubled soul who'd fight for what she believed in then questions if she killed that Raven just as easily as she killed [[spoiler:the previous Spring Maiden]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Fans}}'', Alysin[[MeaningfulName (note spelling)]] assumed her name when she became a hard-partying Goth with a hidden sadistic streak. Later, after being cured of a rare life-threatening disease and finding true love and a fulfilling life with husband Rikk [[spoiler:[[{{polyamory}} and their third partner Rumi]],]] she put that part of her life behind her, dropped the Goth wardrobe and persona[[spoiler:(but kept some of her bondage gear in the bedroom for "therapeutic" purposes)]], and is now referred to as simply "Aly".

[[folder:Western Animation ]]

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'': In one episode, the Halliwell sisters are being stalked by someone; Prue thinks it's a demon, but it turns out to be [[spoiler: Abbey, a bartender at P3 who's obsessed with taking over Prue's life. After Abbey temporarily blinds Prue, knocks her out and ties her up, they have this exchange]]:

** In the climax of ''Film/CaptainMarvel'', the titular heroine combines this with a PreAssKickingOneLiner: [[spoiler:the titular heroine has reclaimed her memories and has this exchange with the BigBad, after she keeps calling her "Vers", her Kree name.]]

* It's not uncommon for some UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} people to refer to the names they were given at birth as their "dead names", given that they represent a lie they were forced to live and to imply that the fake self is preferable to their true gender is a supreme insult.