History Main / DamagedSoul

* Neelix from ''StarTrekVoyager'' was resurrected with Seven's nanites in an episode ([[AlienScrappy to the dismay of many fans]])). He was extremely depressed through the whole episode, because he didn't see the Talaxian afterlife while dead.

* Happens in the furry webcomic ''Jack''. After Emma Volpe is killed by a virus, her husband uses the advanced technology of the pre-genocide humans and MadScientist Kane to resurrect her. She was driven insane after seeing Hell and Heaven and eventually killed herself in front of him to return to her Heaven. Made all the more tragic as suicide is a ticket to Hell in the comic.

* The ''SouthPark'' episode "Marjorine" has Butters' parents thinking they have done this in an homage to ''Pet Sematary'', after burying the pig used to fake Butters' death in an old Indian burial ground.

* In HarryPotter, one of the central rules of magic is you can never truly bring a person back from the dead- there are, however, forms of magic that try to mimic this. Inferi are just reanimated corpses, basically controlled zombies. Horocruxes keep your soul tethered from something other than your body, effectively bringing you back from the dead, though horribly mutilating your soul. The Resurrection Stone only produces pale shadows of those who have died, as though there's a veil separating them from life.

Alternately, this might ''actually'' be a SoullessShell whose sociopathic tendencies are due to the conscious mind reacting violently to becoming [[TheSoulless Soulless]]. Or maybe DemonicPossession. These unhappy Lazarenes are probably {{Stepford Smiler}}s, {{Mad Artist}}s, or {{Complete Monster}}s.

* In ''[[BatmanUnderTheRedHood Batman: Under The Red Hood'', Jason Todd comes back a screaming, murdering mess after being resurrected in a Lazarus Pit, and from that moment on he's a conflicted soul edging between homicidal rage and self-destruction. Whether this is an example of this trope or [[NietzscheWannabe him deciding after coming back to life that all that came before is not worth it]] is not only left to the viewer to decide, it's actually [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded as such by Jason himself.]]

* Something akin to this is what happens when you use alchemy to revive the dead in the original anime of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist''.

* In Harry Potter, one of the central rules of magic is you can never truly bring a person back from the dead- there are, however, forms of magic that try to mimic this. Inferi are just reanimated corpses, basically controlled zombies. Horocruxes keep your soul tethered from something other than your body, effectively bringing you back from the dead, though horribly mutilating your soul. The Resurrection Stone only produces pale shadows of those who have died, as though there's a veil separating them from life.

* The main point of the titular "semetary" in StephenKing's Pet Semetary. Pets buried there will come back to life, but they'll be profoundly off. When the main character's son is hit by a car and buried in the Semetary, we find out just how off. An ordinary toddler who was still learning to talk when he died, the revived child speaks like a rather erudite adult-and a highly murderous one at that.

Alternately, this might ''actually'' be a SoullessShell whose sociopathic tendencies are due to the conscious mind reacting violently becoming [[TheSoulless Soulless]]. Or maybe DemonicPossession. These unhappy Lazarenes are probably {{Stepford Smiler}}s, {{Mad Artist}}s, or {{Complete Monster}}s.

* StephenKing's short story ''The Jaunt'' includes a '''Damaged Soul''' returnee, a child who spends an eternity with his mind in the void before coming back thoroughly insane.

* The main point of the titular "semetary" in StephenKing?s Pet Semetary. Pets buried there will come back to life, but they'll be profoundly off. When the main character's son is hit by a car and buried in the Semetary, we find out just how off. An ordinary toddler who was still learning to talk when he died, the revived child speaks like a rather erudite adult-and a highly murderous one at that.

* ''TheTwilightZone'' episode ?The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank? has the titular young man (played by a very young [[TheDukesOfHazzard James Best]]) wake up at his own funeral. He can't explain it, but counts himself lucky to be alive, and some of the townspeople are scared that he's actually a demon possessing the man's body. Eventually, after he gives a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming speech, his family and fiance put aside their doubts and trust that it's a miracle and he's the same man they've always known. And then he lights a match without striking it on anything so he can light his pipe. When his fiance points this out, he says she must be imagining things. As they walk off, the gate to their house closes behind them of its own accord.

* This is a key plot point in [[FireEmblem ''FireEmblem: The Sacred Stones''.]] The emperor of Grado died and was resurrected by his son, Lyon. The [[BigBad Demon King]] restored his body and used as a puppet to wage a massive war. Plus, Lyon had to tamper with a SealedEvilInACan to do it, which allowed the Demon King to drive him insane and posses him. Of note is that that the same method produces "Orson's wife", an example of an EmptyShell.

* This is a key plot point in ''FireEmblem: The Sacred Stones''. The emperor of Grado died and was resurrected by his son, Lyon. He was only a zombie puppet after that. Plus, Lyon had to open a SealedEvilInACan to do it, which drove him mad.]] Of note is that that the same method produces "Orson's wife", an example of an EmptyShell.