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1[[quoteright:250:[[ComicBook/XFactor https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jean_shared_memories22.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:250:ComicBook/JeanGrey deals with memories she gained from her copies.]]
3
4->''"I like to remember things my own way."''
5-->-- '''Fred Madison''', ''Film/LostHighway''
6
7Memory and amnesia in TV, movies, and video games works a bit differently than in RealLife... Why? Because memory often makes for an interesting storyline involving one or more characters, and can be used to make a powerful argument on questions such as identity, destiny, betrayal and love. The usefulness of this trope is tricky, as memory loss isn't as common in RealLife as it is in fiction. [[Mst3kMantra Don't worry about it too much, as]] Administrivia/TropesAreTools.
8
9Compare StayAheadOfThisIndex (as our memories are stored there), MindControl, PsychologyTropes.
10
11Not to be confused with PleaseReflectOnThisIndex.
12----
13!!Remember these tropes:
14[[index]]
15[floatboxright:
16'''Remember this index:'''
17+ MemeticsInFiction
18]
19* AbsentMindedProfessor: A scientist who is often lost in thought and a little out of touch with the world around them.
20* AesopAmnesia: A character learns an important lesson in one episode, but in subsequent episodes reverts back to their bad behavior as if the lesson they learned somehow didn't stick.
21* AlternateIdentityAmnesia: A character suffers amnesia when changing into another form.
22* AmnesiaDanger: A character with amnesia is in a situation they would normally be able to handle, but can't because they don't remember how.
23* AmnesiaEpisode: An episode where a character develops amnesia.
24* AmnesiaLoop: A person discovers something and gets their memories wiped repeatedly.
25* AmnesiaMissedASpot: A character tries to induce LaserGuidedAmnesia and it doesn't quite work.
26* AmnesiacCostumeIdentity: A characters with amnesia tries to figure out who they are based on the unusual costume or outfit they are wearing.
27* AmnesiacDissonance: A good or evil person suddenly remembers their past of the opposite [[CharacterAlignment alignment]].
28* AmnesiacGod: A character with amnesia who is actually a PhysicalGod or something similar.
29* AmnesiacHero: The main hero of a story who can't remember anything about themselves.
30* AmnesiacLiar: A character who lies about who they are only to get amnesia and be told that the things they lied about are who they really are.
31* AmnesiacLover: A {{Love Interest|s}} under LaserGuidedAmnesia.
32* AmnesiacProtagonistCatalyst: The protagonist has forgotten something important about themselves when the story starts. Which is that they were responsible for what's currently wrong in the story.
33* AmnesiacResonance: An amnesiac instinctively performs skills they had before losing their memory, without knowledge of how or why they know them.
34* AmnesiacsAreInnocent: People who lose their memory act as innocent as children.
35* AmnesiacVillainJoinsTheHeroes: A villain working for the heroes and is on the good side only because they forgot their own identity and their past.
36* AwesomenessInducedAmnesia: A character does something awesome, but can't remember how they actually did it or what they even did.
37* BackstoryInvader: A character who is implanted in the memories of other characters who don't really know them.
38* BagOfSpilling: A character loses all their items and abilities in the sequel.
39* BrainwashResidue: A person is no longer {{Brainwashed}}, but the effects still linger in their body.
40* ChildhoodHomeRediscovery: A character rediscovers a place that they lived as a child, but has no recollection of it as an adult.
41* CongruentMemory: A person learns something in a certain environment or emotional or physical state and can only remember what they learned when in that same state.
42* ConvenientlyUnverifiableCoverStory: A fake background, but it can't be disproven.
43* CrazyMemory: A character remembers an outrageous moment of their lives that may or may not have happened.
44* CriminalAmnesiac: A character with amnesia is convinced by the villains that they are on their side.
45* DamnYouMuscleMemory: Difference in control layouts makes it easy to screw up.
46* DeathAmnesia: A resurrected person has no memory of their death.
47* DeathOfPersonality: A person is physically alive, but their mind has been erased.
48* DejaVu: The odd sensation of already having experienced something that is currently happening.
49* DemotedMemories: A person remembers that they used to be something great, but chooses not to believe that it's real.
50* DerailedTrainOfThought: Someone forgets what they were talking about in favor of a totally unrelated topic.
51* EasyAmnesia: Developing amnesia through something as simple as being hit on the head.
52* EatBrainForMemories: Gaining someone else's memories by consuming their brain.
53* ElephantsNeverForget: Elephants are often depicted as having prodigiously strong and accurate memories.
54* EyeRecall: A flashback sequence that starts with the camera zooming inside the pupil of the character recalling the memory.
55* FakeMemories: Remembering something from the past that didn't actually happen.
56* FakingAmnesia: A character pretends to have amnesia.
57* FightingDownMemoryLane: A character uses their opponent's memory as a weapon.
58* {{Flashback}}: The characters' [[FramingDevice reminiscence of past events]] are relayed to the audience through another scene.
59* FlashbackFail: A character tries to flashback to something that happened earlier, but that doesn't quite remember what actually happened or what was said.
60* FlashbackMontageRealization: A montage of previous scenes and lines of dialogue, representing a character remembering all the clues hinting at TheReveal.
61* TheFogOfAges: A character who has lived for so long that they start to forget common things.
62* ForgetfulJones: A character who is incapable of remembering anything.
63* ForgetsToEat: A character who's notorious for ignoring their body's need for nutrition and has to be reminded to eat.
64* ForgettableCharacter: A character who is often forgotten by other characters.
65* ForgivenButNotForgotten: A character forgives others, but still will not forget what they've done.
66* ForgotAboutHisPowers: A character suddenly forgets a certain skill/ability that could easily get them out of a tough spot.
67* ForgotTheCall: A character gets amnesia and forgets that they're an action hero.
68* ForgotTheDisability: Forgetting that the person you're with is disabled.
69* ForgotICouldntSwim: Going swimming, then remembering you don't know how.
70* ForgotTheirOwnBirthday: A character forgets when their own birthday is.
71* ForgottenBirthday: No one notices a character's birthday.
72* ForgottenFirstMeeting: It's established that two characters actually met before what was believed to be their first meeting, they just didn't remember their real first meeting.
73* GameplayGuidedAmnesia: A video game character needing reminders of how to do certain things as an excuse for the players to receive exposition and tutorials.
74* GeneticMemory: An ability to record personal memories/skills into their genes and pass them onto their offspring.
75* GhostAmnesia: A character becomes a ghost and has no recollection of their past life or even how they died.
76* GhostMemory: A character receives memories or abilities that weren't originally theirs.
77* HappinessInMindControl: A victim of mind control who does not want to be freed.
78* HouseAmnesia: A person orders someone to get out of their house, only to be reminded that it's ''their'' house.
79* HumanHardDrive: A character trained or modified to retain (nigh-)superhuman quantities of knowledge.
80* HumanNotepad: A character who is covered in writing.
81* IdentityAmnesia: A person forgets who they are and thinks they're someone else.
82* ImmortalityThroughMemory: The idea that someone only truly dies when they are forgotten.
83* InjuryBookend: A repeat of what caused an injury gets rid of it.
84* LaserGuidedAmnesia: A person is made to forget very specific things.
85* LegendFadesToMyth: People having a skewed memory of a previous installment in the sequel.
86* LivingMemory: A memory of a character becomes alive and able to interact with other characters.
87* LossOfIdentity: A character deals with their sense of identity after radical mental, physical or spiritual changes.
88* ManchurianAgent: A {{Brainwashed}} person is awakened by a certain trigger.
89* MemoryGambit: A character sacrifices their own memories for a tactical advantage.
90* MemoryJar: An object that is imbued with memories for safekeeping or viewing.
91* MemoryPalace: A character's memories are shown as an organized space where memories can be retrieved.
92* MemoryRestoringMelody: A song that helps a character remember something important upon being heard.
93* MemoryTrigger: Something triggers someone to remember something.
94* MemoryWipeExploitation: Someone exploits character's memory loss for their own gain.
95* MemoryWipingCrew: People who wipe the memories of those who might see through the {{Masquerade}}.
96* MindVirus: An ailment similar to a computer virus that infects minds.
97* MissingTime: When a character has no memory of what happened between going to work and coming home.
98* MyArtMyMemory: An amnesiac character who incorporates things from their past into their artwork.
99* MyLifeFlashedBeforeMyEyes: A character sees their memories when they die.
100* MySkullRunnethOver: A character suddenly obtains so much knowledge that their mind is in danger of overloading.
101* NameAmnesia: Character can't remember their own name.
102* NecroCam: A FlashbackMontageRealization about how a character died.
103* NeuralImplanting: Computer files, images, databases, or [[PowersAsPrograms abilities]] are downloaded into a person's brain.
104* NeuroVault: A person subconsciously holding vital data in their minds.
105* NeverForgottenSkill: A character learns a special skill and never forgets how to do it.
106* NoInfantileAmnesia: A person is able to remember experiences from their infancy.
107* NoteToSelf: Leaving yourself a message in case you lose your memories.
108* NPCAmnesia: [=NPCs=] won't remember your actions for gameplay purposes.
109* ParalysisByAnalysis: A person does something they're good at, only to suddenly choke from pressure.
110* PastLifeMemories: A character gains memories from their previous incarnation.
111* PhotographicMemory: A person is able to remember every single detail of something they've only seen, read or heard once.
112* APlaceHoldsMemories: A character's memories are triggered by a certain location.
113* ProtagonistWithoutAPast: A character with no backstory.
114* QuestForIdentity: A character tries to rediscover who they are.
115* RecollectionSidequest: A video game sidequest where the player character has to regain lost memories.
116* RegainedMemoriesSequence: A character regains several memories at once.
117* RememberedICouldFly: A character is in mortal danger until remembering that they have a special skill/ability that can help them.
118* RememberedTooLate: A character recalls something when it is too late to use said information.
119* RememberThatYouTrustMe: A character has to be reminded that they need to trust their friends.
120* ReminderFailure: A character's attempt at trying to remind themselves of something ends in failure.
121* RepeatedRehearsalFailure: A character's attempt at trying to memorize something by repeating it to themselves ends in failure.
122* RepressedMemories: A person subconsciously chooses to forget something that is too painful to remember.
123* RippleEffectProofMemory: A character goes back in time and changes history, but they still remember the original timeline.
124* AScarToRemember: A villain leaves a wound on the hero's body to make them remember their encounter.
125* ScatterbrainedSenior: An elderly person with memory problems.
126* SecretWord: A word or phrase that you have to remember.
127* SelectiveMemory: When the PlayerCharacter has important information the player has no access to.
128* SelfServingMemory: A person remembers past events as how they believed them to happen as opposed to how the events really occurred.
129* StringOnFingerReminder: Someone ties a piece of string to their finger in an attempt to remind them of something they might forget.
130* SuperIntelligence: Someone having extreme smarts as a superpower.
131* TooImportantToRememberYou: Someone rich or powerful can't be bothered to remember the names of their lessers.
132* TransferableMemory: Memories that can be processed like data.
133* TraumaButton: One character inadvertently triggers another character's repressed traumatic memory.
134* TraumaInducedAmnesia: A person develops amnesia as a result of physical or mental trauma.
135* TriggerPhrase: A phrase that can help someone remember something.
136* VictoryGuidedAmnesia: A character accomplishes something only to lose their memories of it afterwards.
137* ViewersAreGoldfish: A work of fiction reminds the audience of stuff that just happened shortly before as if the audience can't remember stuff well.
138* WeHaveForgottenThePhlebotinum: A character forgets to bring AppliedPhlebotinum to a situation where it would have been useful.
139* WhatDidIDoLastNight: Someone regains consciousness after a night of being high or drunk and begins to panic while trying to remember what they did in their inebriated state.
140* WillTalkForAPrice: When someone being questioned claims they can't remember--but a little bit of cash might jog their memory...
141* WistfulAmnesia: A character whose memories are wiped of certain events only to retain the sense that they've lost something.
142* YouRemindMeOfX: A character reminds another character of someone they know.
143* YourWorstMemory: A character relives the worst moment of their life in dreams, flashbacks or worse.
144[[/index]]

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