History Main / AmnesiacsAreInnocent

* An issue of the {{Transformers}} comics had Starscream lose his memories in a freak accident. Optimus considered this as Starscream's chance to start over with a clean slate. But of course StatusQuoIsGod...

* An issue of the {{Transformers}} comics had Starscream lose his memories in a freak accident. Optimus considered this as Starscream's chance to start over with a clean slate. But of course StatusQueIsGod...

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* [[spoiler: [[VileVillainSaccharineShow Darkrai]]]] becomes one of these at the end of ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky]]'' as a result of being hit by Palkia's attack while escaping through a portal after the heroes and Cresselia foil his evil plans to destroy the Pokemon world.

* [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment?from=Main.PlanescapeTorment Planescape: Torment]], the protagonist, Nameless One, both plays this trope straight, and inverts it, goes sideways, and wanders all over. [[spoiler: Nameless One is an [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Immortality immortal]] who, each time he dies, suffers some form of memory adjustment. Sometimes the shock of death may recover lost memories, sometimes a particularly brutal or nasty death may result in the complete reset of his entire mind, altering his core behaviour and personality at a fundamental level. One life, he might be a heroic {{Knight in Shining Armor}}, the next, he could pass the {{Moral Event Horizon}}. Though he may be innocent in terms of knowledge of at the time of reincarnation of previous wrongs done in former lives, there are [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThisIsUnforgivable those who would argue that point]].]] Regardless, he is both innocent, guilty, and everything in between [[spoiler:amidst dozens, or possibly hundreds of past lives worth of sins and virtues.]]

->''"In your deposition, you even added that you 'don't feel like a killer.' How touching."''
-->-- '''Colonel Amos''', ''VideoGame/{{XIII}}''

* In LFrankBaum's ''Literature/LandOfOz'' stories, Ozma takes advantage of this trope by means of the Fountain of Oblivion, a magic fountain that causes those to drink from it to lose their memory. This way, if an invading army attacks Emerald City, all you have to do to render them harmless is to trick them into taking a sip.

* Niniel is ''TheChildrenOfHurin'' is initially this, as when she is found sans memories she needs to be taught basic skills such as speech, and her personality is continually compared to that of a child. She learns quickly though.

* ''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic''. [[spoiler:The protagonist]] is a perfect example of this trope: not only were his memories gone, he was also [[spoiler:programmed with a new identity, loyal to the Republic]]. That is, if you follow the light side path.

* The titular character of ''Webcomic/{{Zap}}'' has LaserGuidedAmnesia and is cheerful, naive, and rather childish. His pre-amnesia self, however, was far more scheming, bordering on a ChessMaster.

* A ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' has Shredder lose his memory. Averted in that he still ends up doing evil deeds, just not in costume.

* ''Comicbook/MadMan'' is a pretty innocent and childlike person due to being an amnesiatic corpse.

* In ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', super psycho serial killer Sylar gets his mind wiped and, after recovering from a case of the Nathan's, he's a wide eyed pup and a true blank slate. When interrogated by Ernie Hudson, he comes off as completely innocent.

* [[spoiler: [[VileVillainSaccharineShow _______]]]] becomes one of these at the end of ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky]]'' as a result of being hit by Palkia's attack while escaping through a portal after the heroes and Cresselia foil his evil plans to destroy the Pokemon world.

* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', C. C. looses most of her memory, becoming the sweet, innocent[[hottip:*:I know how to handle corpses!]], illiterate, medieval child she was before recieving her geass.

* In ''DeathNote'', this happens when Light [[spoiler:arranges things so that he forgets that he is Kira. Once L is convinced, he is entirely cooperative and wants to help L catch Kira.]]
* In ''CodeGeass'', C. C. looses most of her memory, becoming the sweet, innocent[[hottip:*:I know how to handle corpses!]], illiterate, medieval child she was before recieving her geass.
* Lucy From ''ElfenLied'': pre-amnesia, she was basically something between AxCrazy {{Yandere}} and WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds. Post-amnesia, she's TheIngenue and a girl who can barely do the simplest things. When she eventually gets her memories back, things get nastier.
* Nana, who suffers from "extreme amnesia", from {{Tripeace}} is extremely innocent, to the point that he doesn't even know what war is. This is in contrast to [[spoiler:Fox, whose personality before the amnesia is highly cynical and cold.]]
* The entire backgound story to the manga ZennouNoNoa: a large group of people lose their memories in what's called a terrorist attack and are basically made to live in a separate city built under Tokyo. They're even called KIDz, and regardless of age a lot of them do pick up fairly childish traits.

* Played straight in the story, later invoked by the Daltons in [[LuckyLuke L'Amnésie des Daltons]]: on seeing an amnesiac inmate be freed, they decide to pass off as amnesiac themselves in order to leave the prison. [[HilarityEnsues Matters are complicated]] when the local governor decides to send them back to prison for breaking the law by any means necessary: encouraging them to rob banks and trains.
* Comicbook/MadMan is a pretty innocent and childlike person due to being an amnesiatic corpse.

* In Frank L. Baum's ''[[TheWonderfulWizardOfOz Oz]]'' stories, Ozma {{invoke}}s this trope by means of the Fountain of Oblivion, a magic fountain that causes those to drink from it to lose their memory. This way, if an invading army attacks Emerald City, all you have to do to render them harmless is to trick them into taking a sip.

* The Dolls of Dollhouse, having no memory, are purposely programmed to fit this trope until "imprinted". They're naive, innocent, and devoid of sexual desires... so when some of them start exhibiting traits that break these rules, you know something is wrong.
* ''BabylonFive'' episode "Passing Through Gethsemane" deals with this topic when [[spoiler:a kind, pious monk is revealed to be a serial killer whose personality was erased and a kinder one with new memories was put in place. The families of his victims did not believe he was innocent and came for revenge.]]

* Notably averted in the GrandFinale of ''{{Smallville}}'': [[spoiler: a resurrected Lex Luthor gets dosed with an amnesia pill erasing his entire life. Despite this, within a decade he becomes President of the United States and the most evil man in the world.]]

* Terra of ''FinalFantasyVI'' has no memories but her name and is a TechnicalPacifist and TheIngenue.
* Isabella in AdvanceWars Days Of Ruin.
* [[spoiler: [[VileVillainSaccharineShow _______]]]] becomes one of these at the end of [[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers ''Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky'']] as a result of being hit by Palkia's attack while escaping through a portal after the heroes and Cresselia foil his evil plans to destroy the Pokemon world.

* In {{Sinfest}}:

* In Frank L. Baum's ''[[TheWonderfulWizardOfOz Oz]]'' stories, Ozma {{invoke}}s this trope by means of the Fountain of Oblivion, a magic fountain that causes those to drink from it to loose their memory. This way, if an invading army attacks Emerald City, all you have to do to render them harmless is to trick them into taking a sip.

* One of the cases in ''Manga/TheKindaichiCaseFiles'' sparks Kindaichi's interest because someone involved strongly resembles the killer of a prior case. Eventually the discovery is made that it ''is'' the same person, but amnesiac due to injuries sustained when they NeverFoundTheBody. Kindaichi decides to leave things be since, as far as he's concerned regarding the man as a killer, ThatManIsDead.

* A TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles has Shredder lose his memory. Averted in that he still ends up doing evil deeds, just not in costume.

* ''BabylonFive'' episode "Waiting For Gethsemane".

* Lucy From Elfen Lied, Pre-Anmesia she was Bassically something between {{Homicidal Maniac}} {{Yandere}} and {{Woobie Destroyer Of Worlds}}. Post-amnesia, she's TheIngenue and a girl who can barely do the simplest things. When she eventually gets her memories back, things get nastier.
* Nana, who suffers from "extreme amnesia", from {{Tripeace}} is extremely innocent, to the point that he doesn't even know what war is. This is contrasted to [[spoiler:Fox, his personality before the amnesia which is highly cynical and cold.]]

* In ''DeathNote'', this happens when Light [[spoiler: arranges things so that he forgets that he is Kira. Once L is convinced, he is entirely cooperative and wants to help L catch Kira.]]
* In ''CodeGeass'', CC looses most of her memory, becoming the sweet, innocent[[hottip:*:I know how to handle corpses!]], illiterate, medieval child she was before recieving her geass.
* Lucy From Elfen Lied, Pre-Anmesia she was Bassically something between {{Homicidal Maniac}} {{Yandere}} and {{Woobie Destroyer Of Worlds}}, Post-amnesia, she's {{The Ingenue}} and a girl who can barely do the simplest things, obviously she eventually gets her memories back, and things get nastier

* In Frank L. Baum's ''[[TheWonderfulWizardOfOz Oz]]'' stories, Ozma {{Invoke}}s this trope by means of the Fountain of Oblivion, a magic fountain that causes those to drink from it to loose their memory. This way, if an invading army attacks Emerald City, all you have to do to render them harmless is to trick them into taking a sip.

* The Dolls of Dollhouse, having no memory, are purposely programmed to fit this trope until "imprinted". They're naive, innocent, and devoid of sexual desires...so when some of them start exhibiting traits that break these rules, you know something is wrong.

* In ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', super psycho serial killer Sylar gets his mind wiped and, after recovering from a case of the Nathan's,he's a wide eyed pup and a true blank slate. Interrogated by Ernie Hudson and he comes off as completely innocent.

* Terra of ''FinalFantasyVI'' has no memories but her name and is a TechnicalPacifist and TheIngenue

* In {{Sinfest}}

* ''TheTrappedTrilogy'': The protagonist in the first game, who turns out to be [[spoiler:The leader of a crime syndicate]].