History Main / BrainwashResidue

* This is a side-effect of [[AIIsACrapshoot O'Malley]]'s infection in ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue''. Anyone who has him in their head (except the Red Team, who he only infected for a few minutes at most, and Church, who isn't affected by the possession [[spoiler:due to being an ai himself]]) keeps some of his personality after he leaves: he was originally implanted into Agent Texas to make her meaner and she continues to be something of a {{Jerkass}} after he leaves her head, his possession of [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Caboose]] left the latter with the ability to enter a berserk state where he shouts mean-spirited {{Badass Boast}}s like "My name is Michael J. Caboose and I hate babies!" or "I will eat your unhappiness!", and [[NewAgeRetroHippie Doc]] (who he possessed for the longest on-screen time) became more comfortable with Blood Gulch's typical amount of violence and swearing [[spoiler:and eventually manifested a SplitPersonality identical to O'Malley]].

* This is a side-effect of [[AIIsACrapshoot O'Malley]]'s infection in ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue''. Anyone who has him in their head (except the Red Team, who he only infected for a few minutes at most) keeps some of his personality after he leaves: he was originally implanted into Agent Texas to make her meaner and she continues to be something of a {{Jerkass}} after he leaves her head, his possession of [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Caboose]] left the latter with the ability to enter a berserk state where he shouts mean-spirited {{Badass Boast}}s like "My name is Michael J. Caboose and I hate babies!" or "I will eat your unhappiness!", and [[NewAgeRetroHippie Doc]] (who he possessed for the longest on-screen time) became more comfortable with Blood Gulch's typical amount of violence and swearing [[spoiler:and eventually manifested a SplitPersonality identical to O'Malley]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{TheGarfieldShow}}'': In the episode ''Bewitched: Bewitched & Bewildered'', after everyone in the world who was turned into toads gets turned back into humans and Garfield, Odie and Jon are at the table eating dinner, Jon suddenly catches and eats a fly using his tongue, making Garfield and Odie concerned. However, [[WitchClassic Mrs. Cauldron]] then appears beside them and tells them not to worry, as the remaining toad-like attributes should wear off in around half an hour.

* A variant appears in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. [[TheBigGuy Broadway]] and [[AffirmativeActionGirl Angela]] are [[WillingChanneler willingly possessed]] by the ghostly lovers "Othello" and "Desdemona"; not long after, the two become an OfficialCouple. WordOfGod notes that it's open to interpretation if the possession kick-started their attraction to each other.

When somebody is {{Brainwashed}} and gets better, but somehow part of the programming sticks and it shows by the character acquiring new personality traits, tics, and/or quirks. For example, Alice is a mind controller who casts a spell on Bob to make him fall in love with her. Bob somehow breaks the spell, but whenever he looks at Alice now, he [[CrushBlush blushes]] and can't quite explain why. Maybe he's falling in love for real, but who knows for sure?

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' fan fiction ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13983012/1/Rei-Ryghts-Rookie-Attorney-The-Ten-Year-Turnabout Rei Ryghts: Rookie Attorney]]'', the titular character still slips into her ‘final boss’ persona even after being defeated and [[DePower losing her HDD powers]]from her counterpart in Ultradimension However, she is able to use this to intimidate some uncooperative witnesses in her new profession as a defense attorney. [[spoiler: It’s a not-so-subtle hint that Rei will ultimately [[RePower regain her HDD]] later on.]]

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' fan fiction ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13983012/1/Rei-Ryghts-Rookie-Attorney-The-Ten-Year-Turnabout Rei Ryghts: Rookie Attorney]]'', the titular character still slips into her ‘final boss’ persona even after being defeated and [[DePower losing her HDD powers]]. However, she is able to use this to intimidate some uncooperative witnesses in her new profession as a defense attorney. [[spoiler: It’s a not-so-subtle hint that Rei will ultimately [[RePower regain her HDD]] later on.]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'': In the final two issues of ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth'', Supergirl has managed to shake off The Batman Who Laughs' brainwashing which turned her into a cackling, lunatic Jokerized monster. However, she still suffers from hallucinations where she becomes the Infected Supergirl again.

* In ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'', this happens to Mara Jade when Palpatine dies. Moments prior to Darth Vader killing him in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', the Emperor sent a [[UnreliableNarrator modified version of his death]] to Mara, along with the compulsion YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER. She was already loyal to Palpatine, but this event leaves her unwilling to disappear into the galaxy at large. However, she is able to overcome the compulsion by killing [[ExactWords an evil clone of Luke]].

* ''ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth'': In the book's final two issues, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} has managed to shake off The Batman Who Laughs' brainwashing which turned her into a cackling, lunatic Jokerized monster. However, she still suffers from hallucinations where she becomes the Infected Supergirl again.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':

** In ''Film/BlackWidow2021'', although Natasha was largely deprogrammed by Clint and S.H.I.E.L.D., the climax reveals that [[spoiler:she's physically unable to attack the BigBad as long as she can smell him]].
* ''Film/TotalRecall1990'': After Quaid breaks Melina out of the constraints of one of the Recall machines, it seems just a bit of the {{Housewife}} programming made it through, but not by much.

* A variant in ''Literature/Wereling2009:'' Philippa spends most of the second book possessed by [[PuppeteerParasite the Necrotroph]], and seems to be the only person to ever remain alive and sane afterwards. The experience seems to have altered her brain in some way, as she can now see the things that are usually InvisibleToNormals and has a mental link with the Necrotroph in particular.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E7TheWarGames The War Games]]", the Doctor and his companions turn up in what appears to be World War One and get [[TimeTravelersAreSpies arrested under suspicion of being German spies]] by a British officer. Turns out they're not even on Earth and aliens are using brainwashed humans to train an army. While DressingAsTheEnemy, the Doctor sees the British officer being brainwashed again with apparent success...except he suddenly accuses the Doctor of being a German spy again. Fortunately, the Doctor then uses this to convince the brainwashing expert that he has to [[NiceJobFixingItVillain completely wipe the brainwashing first before starting over again]]...

* In the original ''Series/{{V 1983}}'' miniseries, Diana has attempted to brainwash Julie Parish into becoming TheQuisling (a process which has a change in handedness as a common side effect). She fights off the brainwashing, mostly successfully, but occasionally catches herself using the wrong hand. In ''V: The Final Battle'', Diana telepathically commands Julie and she has flashbacks to the brainwashing. Julie doesn't quite give in, but the internal struggle gives Diana a chance to escape.

* ''VideoGame/StarControl Origins'' has the Free Trandals, a subset of the Trandals who have freed themselves from the mind-controlling AI known as Overmind. They frequently say things that Overmind might say out of habit, before hurriedly correcting themselves.
-->'''Player:''' Ok, we'll be going now.\\

* In Chapter 34 of ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' [[spoiler:Jack]] claims to [[spoiler:be in love with Zimmy]], and attributes it to a remnant of his possession by a ghostly spider [[spoiler:obsessed with Zimmy]] which tried to take control of his mind. This doesn't seem to worry him.

* ''WesternAnimation/ChillyBeach'': One episode has Frank turned onto a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Were-weinerdog]]. When he's turned back to a human, he finds he still enjoys squeaky toys.

** [[spoiler:Harry]], after being {{Mind Rape}}d into the Red Son, the Winter Soldier's SuperiorSuccessor, initially has most of the memories locked away as the stress was driving him insane. As it is, he ends up with a significant amount of [[ShellShockedVeteran trauma]], a less patient, more ruthless, and eventually [[TheAntiNihilist rather]] [[WiseBeyondTheirYears philosophical]] personality, as well as fluency in several languages - in the case of Russian, enough to pass for a native. Once he taps into them again out of desperation, he regains the combat skills and a far worse case of PTSD.

** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'': [[spoiler:Due to CartesianKarma]], the Avengers are essentially the only people who aren't afraid of the Winter Soldier after the events of [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier the previous movie]]. [[spoiler:If they were right not to be, they might not have torn themselves in half, but it turns out the reason Bucky's been in hiding ever since is that he knows he has brainwash residue. The BigBad finds out the TriggerPhrase and uses it (over Bucky pleading with him to stop) to send him on a rampage, turning the Avengers' divisive but previously only philosophical argument over the Sokovia Accords into an active crisis.]]

* In ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseofCobra'', the Baroness is kept under supervision because they can't remove the mind-controlling nanomites just yet. Prior to that, she is shown to have retained some of her "training" by being able to operate a gun pod.
* The main plot point of ''Film/{{Inception}}'' uses a planted "idea" to change a person's outlook in life. This could be for the better [[spoiler:(Robert Fischer views his father in a better light and avoids a possible energy monopoly with his company)]] or worse [[spoiler:(Mal commits suicide thinking the reality she's living in is still a dream)]].

* In the ''Literature/{{Deryni}}'' works, Sean Lord Derry suffers from this, referring to nightmares he had after his captivity and [[MindRape torture]] at the hands of Wencit of Torenth. He reluctantly admits the nightmares returned years later in anticipation of Kelson's trip to Torenth for Liam-Lajos's investiture in ''King Kelson's Bride''. This [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadows]] Morag's reasserting control over his mind, control which is taken and used by [[spoiler: Teymuraz]].

* In the ''Literature/NewJediOrder'', after Tahiri is rescued from an attempt to brainwash her into believing she was a [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Yuuzhan Vong]], it became a running subplot for several books that she retained most of the false memories subconsciously and under moments of extreme stress would adopt Vong mannerisms or even spout the Vong language. It was eventually revealed that the brainwashing had failed to overwrite Tahiri's original personality but ''had'' succeeded in creating a Yuuzhan Vong personality, Riina, who was almost totally independent of Tahiri's own mind. They ended up [[SplitPersonalityMerge combining into a third personality]] to avoid going incurably insane.

** In the season two HalloweenEpisode, Xander was [[BecomingTheCostume turned into the soldier that he was dressed as]] for Halloween, complete with military training. Afterwards, Xander still retains some of that knowledge, which comes in handy in later episodes (such as when he sneaks into a military base to steal a rocket launcher).
** Also, after Dracula [[spoiler:Renfield-ised Xander]] in season five, [[spoiler:Xander]] still referred to Dracula as "Master" several episodes later [[spoiler:and in the Season 8 comics]].

** In ''Series/{{Mighty Morphin|Power Rangers}}''' Season 3, Kat can still hear some of Rita's plans even after escaping the brainwashing.

* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'':
** Funnily enough, the first game plays with some brainwash residue. When Mason escapes from the Soviet Union and gets back to the US, he experiences flashes, seeing and hearing numbers, [[spoiler: seeing a hallucination of Reznov despite him being dead]] and even what looks like scenes of drawing a gun on the president, really the brainwashing hasn't worn off yet.
** This extends to ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII'' - at the end of the second 1980s level, Mason encounters [[spoiler:Lev Kravchenko, previously presumed dead in Vietnam. During the next scene, he has to actively suppress an urge to execute him on the spot so that Woods can get some useful information out of him]].

-->'''Player''': Ok, we'll be going now.\\
'''Free Trandal''': Not in that state, husks! First we must-- ah, um, s-sorry. Sorry. Farewell, friends.

* This is a side-effect of [[AIIsACrapshoot O'Malley's]] infection in ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue''. Anyone who has him in their head (except the Red Team, who he only infected for a few minutes at most) keeps some of his personality after he leaves: he was originally implanted into Agent Texas to make her meaner and she continues to be something of a {{Jerkass}} after he leaves her head, his possession of [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Caboose]] left the latter with the ability to enter a berserk state where he shouts mean-spirited {{Badass Boast}}s like "My name is Michael J. Caboose and I hate babies!" or "I will eat your unhappiness!", and [[NewAgeRetroHippie Doc]] (who he possessed for the longest on-screen time) became more comfortable with Blood Gulch's typical amount of violence and swearing [[spoiler:and eventually manifested a SplitPersonality identical to O'Malley]].

* Grouchy Smurf in ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' owes his grumpiness to this: In ''[[Recap/TheSmurfsBook1Story1TheBlackSmurfs The Black Smurfs]]'' he was the first Black Smurf, who are notoriously belligerent, and because he was a Black Smurf the longest, he remained grumpy after being cured. This isn't the case for [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981 the animated version]], though.

* This was the reason Bronze Tiger always declined to lead the ''Comicbook/SuicideSquad:'' he was afraid the brainwashing he received at the hands of the League of Assassins could kick in any time. Much later, Rick Flag consulted him on how to prevent the brainwashing he suspected he'd been subjected to from kicking in. As a result, some time later, Wade Eiling's gambit against Amanda Waller fails and he finds himself missing half a brain.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', Tim Drake still has aftereffects of his last encounter with The Joker (of the 'uncontrollable shaking and bad dreams' kind) after 40 years. Given what The Joker put him through, that's really not that surprising. Albeit some of that can be clarified as [[spoiler:the Joker's mind chip on him]]. For example, his disdain and regret for being Robin was a result of [[spoiler:the Joker's chip beginning to affect him. Once it's gone,]] so is any disdain toward his past. He actually didn't blame Bruce or Barbara and did enjoy being Robin.
* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'', Albedo is a villain who copied Ben's appearance and Omnitrix. He also gained some of Ben's characteristics, like eating junk food (especially chili fries). After having his Omnitrix broken, stuck with Ben's color-swapped form, and taken to prison, he shouts, "BRING ME CHILI FRIES!!!" WordOfGod says this is actually Albedo in denial and he does genuinely like them but finds the idea appalling nonetheless.

* A variant in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''--in one episode, [[TheBigGuy Broadway]] and [[AffirmativeActionGirl Angela]] are [[WillingChanneler willingly possessed]] by the ghostly lovers "Othello" and "Desdemona"; not long after, the two become an OfficialCouple. WordOfGod notes that it's open to interpretation if the possession kick-started their attraction to each other.

* ShapeShifting-flavor: Whether [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting involuntary]] or [[VoluntaryShapeshifting self-induced]]: Bob gets transformed into a frog. After being brought back to normal, he retains his [[MyInstinctsAreShowing newly-acquired taste for bugs.]] Usually [[PlayedForLaughs used as a gag]].

** During [[TheCaligula Judge Cal's]] reign as Chief Judge, he retained the support of the majority of the Judges using brainwashing, with only a handful of exceptions. Several years later, during the ''Helter-Skelter'' incident, a Judge Cal from an alternate universe invaded Mega-City One with a LegionOfDoom consisting of alternate versions of Dredd's old enemies from across the multiverse, including Rico, War Marshall Kazan, Fink Angel, etc. The Judges who had been part of the original Cal's regime quickly fell under Alternate Cal's control due to the remaining traces of their brainwashing, forcing Dredd to fight his way to the villains by himself.

** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'': [[spoiler:Due to CartesianKarma]], the Avengers are essentially the only people who aren't afraid of the Winter Soldier after the events of [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier the previous movie]]. [[spoiler:And if they were right not to be, they might not have torn themselves in half, but it turns out the reason Bucky's been in hiding ever since is that he knows he has brainwash residue. The BigBad finds out the TriggerPhrase and uses it (over Bucky pleading with him to stop) to send him on a rampage, turning the Avengers' divisive but previously only philosophical argument over the Sokovia Accords into an active crisis.]]
** In ''Film/BlackWidow2021'' although Natasha was largely deprogrammed by Clint and S.H.I.E.L.D. the climax reveals that [[spoiler:she's physically unable to attack the BigBad as long as she can smell him]].
* In ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'', the Baroness is kept under supervision because they can't remove the mind-controlling nanomites just yet. Prior to that, she is shown to have retained some of her "training" by being able to operate a gun pod.
* The main plot point of ''Film/{{Inception}}'' uses a planted "idea" to change a person's outlook in life. This could be for the better [[spoiler:(Robert Fischer views his father in a better light and avoids a possible energy monopoly with his company)]] or worse [[spoiler:(Mal commits suicide thinking the reality she's living in is still a dream).]]
* ''Film/TotalRecall1990'': After Quaid breaks Melina out of the constraints of one of the Recall machines, it seems just a bit of the Housewife programming made it through but not by much.

* ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'' presents a disturbing variation due to the PuppeteerParasite Yeerks' biology: If a Yeerk is near death, it will try to unwrap itself from the host's brain and emerge via the ear. This is not a pleasant process, and the Animorphs witness a Controller suddenly shout like a lunatic as the control is lifted [[spoiler:and get killed by another Controller before his behavior draws attention]]. Visser One's former partner Essam 293 also died before he could fully exit his host, who became a CrazyHomelessPerson because, to quote Visser One herself:

* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': After Judge Kraken is captured following his participation in the [[CloneArmy Judda incursion]], he undergoes extensive deprogramming to counter the brainwashing used by Morton Judd. However, some traces of his Judda past still remain, which is later used by the Sisters of Death to bring Kraken under their own control.

* In ''Film/BlackWidow2021'' although Natasha was largely deprogrammed by Clint and S.H.I.E.L.D. the climax reveals that [[spoiler:she's physically unable to attack the BigBad as long as she can smell him]].
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'': [[spoiler:Due to CartesianKarma]], the Avengers are essentially the only people who aren't afraid of the Winter Soldier after the events of [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier the previous movie]]. [[spoiler:And if they were right not to be, they might not have torn themselves in half, but it turns out the reason Bucky's been in hiding ever since is that he knows he has brainwash residue. The BigBad finds out the TriggerPhrase and uses it (over Bucky pleading with him to stop) to send him on a rampage, turning the Avengers' divisive but previously only philosophical argument over the Sokovia Accords into an active crisis.]]

* ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'' a disturbing variation due to the PuppeteerParasite Yeerks' biology: If a Yeerk is near death, it will try to unwrap itself from the host's brain and emerge via the ear. This is not a pleasant process, and the Animorphs witness a Controller suddenly shout like a lunatic as the control is lifted [[spoiler:and get killed by another Controller before his behavior draws attention]]. Visser One's former partner Essam 293 also died before he could fully exit his host, who became a CrazyHomelessPerson because, to quote Visser one herself:

* In the original ''Series/{{V 1983}}'' miniseries, Diana has attempted to brainwash Julie Parish into becoming TheQuisling. She fights off the brainwashing, mostly successfully, but occasionally catches herself using the wrong hand. In ''V: The Final Battle'', Diana telepathically commands Julie and she has flashbacks to the brainwashing. Julie doesn't quite give in, but the internal struggle gives Diana a chance to escape.

** [[spoiler:Neo Roanoke]] has the amnesia-type: his original identity, that of [[spoiler:Mu La Flaga, begins to re-emerge after he's brought aboard the Archangel. He finds Murrue inexplicably familiar, instinctively remembers the ship's communication codes, and eventually begins experiencing flashes of Mu's memories and using his old CatchPhrase]].

* In ''Anime/RODTheTV'', Anita becomes a bookworm like her sisters after she gets a part of The Gentleman's memories. Take note, Anita used to ''hate'' books.
* All of the girls Keima "conquers" in ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'' show signs of this. They just can't explain why they blush whenever the geeky {{otaku}} walks by.

** [[spoiler:Neo Roanoke]] has the amnesia-type: his original identity, that of [[spoiler:Mu La Flaga, begins to re-emerge after he's brought aboard the Archangel. He finds Murrue inexplicably familiar, instinctively remembers the ship's communication codes, and eventually begins experiencing flashes of Mu's memories and using his old CatchPhrase.]]

* In the manga of ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'', Miu, a kind-hearted and talented martial artist girl, [[spoiler:gets captured by the BloodKnight EvilMentor Silkwat Junazard and gets a combination of amnesia and brainwashing that conditions her into extreme aggression and bloodlust. Even upon being rescued and her memory restored, her bloodlust and aggression still lie subconsciously, often triggering when her emotions run high or when exerting significant effort in martial arts, even during a simple and safe training exercise.]] Part of this is because [[spoiler:the bloodlust and aggression had always been a part of Miu. It's the main reason Junazard wanted her to be his disciple in the first place. Miu's grandfather trained her from an early age specifically to help her control it.]]
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/KissesSighsAndCherryBlossomPink''. The second story involves a ghost accidentally possessing a girl and using the time to tell her crush, the school nurse, how she felt in life. When she leaves, the possessed girl ends up [[TeacherStudentRomance with similar feelings]].

* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': After Judge Kraken is captured following his participation in the [[CloneArmy Judda incursion]], he undergoes extensive deprogramming to counter the brainwashing used by Morton Judd. However, some traces of his Judda past still remain, which is later used by the Sisters of Death to bring Kraken under their own control.
* Grouchy Smurf in ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' owes his grumpiness to this: In ''[[Recap/TheSmurfsBook1Story1TheBlackSmurfs The Black Smurfs]]'' he was the first Black Smurf, who are notoriously belligerent, and because he was a Black Smurf the longest he remained grumpy after being cured. This isn't the case for [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981 the animated version]], though.

** [[spoiler: Harry]], after being {{Mind Rape}}d into the Red Son, the Winter Soldier's SuperiorSuccessor, initially has most of the memories locked away as the stress was driving him insane. As it is, he ends up with a significant amount of [[ShellShockedVeteran trauma]], a less patient, more ruthless, and eventually [[TheAntiNihilist rather]] [[WiseBeyondTheirYears philosophical]] personality, as well as fluency in several languages - in the case of Russian, enough to pass for a native. Once he taps into them again out of desperation, he regains the combat skills and a far worse case of PTSD.
* [[WebAnimation/RedVsBlue O'Malley]] boasts of his canon ability to do this to a therapist while possessing [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Pinkie Pie]] in ''Fanfic/IAgainstIMeAgainstYou.'' [[spoiler:Caboose later shows Pinkie how to weaponize it as he does during the final battle against The Meta.]]
-->'''O'Malley!Pinkie Pie''': "Even after I’m gone, those that I’ve been in still have a piece of me left!"

* Between ''Fanfic/{{Exiled}}'' and ''Gatecrash'' Taylor was kidnapped and brainwashed by Heartbreaker as part of his plan to kidnap Dinah. Even after using her [[WomanScorned jealousy]] to kill him, Taylor still loved him. The stress of dealing with her conflicting feelings makes up a good chunk of her character arc, ending when [[spoiler:the Rachni Queen helps purge his influence]].
* Becomes a PlotPoint in [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4506768/1/His-Honor-The-Mayor-Drew-Lipsky His Honor, The Mayor, Drew Lipsky]]. Kim is a DentedIron after saving the world so many times and sometimes enters a fugue state due to all the Brainwash Residue building up in her head, turns out one of her repressed memories is actually important.
* ''FanFic/TheReturn'':
** [[spoiler: Nabiki and Akane]] still have a significant amount of mental contamination after being enslaved and {{Mind Rape}}d by Alexia and it takes a lot of work to salvage ''any'' of their original selves.
** Misako ([[spoiler:Ryouga]]) had her previous identity completely lost and is, for all intents and purposes, a new person whose personality is based on nothing but Brainwash Residue.
* ''Webcomic/FiveYearsLater'' uses this as the explanation for the characterization of Franchise/Ben10 villain Eon. While a Chronian as told in the movie ''Film/Ben10RaceAgainstTime'', he ended up taking over the bodies of so many alternate Ben Tennysons as he traveled the multiverse and burned out his body that when he was encountered in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'' and ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' he believed himself to be an alternate Ben Tennyson. By the events of Five Years Later, he's regained his sense of who he actually is and is planning accordingly.
* Addressed in ''Fanfic/HarryAndTheShipgirls''. After Ginny Weasley was freed from the influence of the Diary Horcrux, [[{{Miko}} Haru Ono]], with the permission of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, performed a ritual to make sure there was no contamination left, just to be sure she was actually free.

* ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'': [[spoiler:Due to CartesianKarma,]] the Avengers are essentially the only people who aren't afraid of the Winter Soldier after the events of [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier the previous movie]]. [[spoiler:And if they were right not to be, they might not have torn themselves in half, but it turns out the reason Bucky's been in hiding ever since is that he knows he has brainwash residue. The BigBad finds out the TriggerPhrase and uses it (over Bucky pleading with him to stop) to send him on a rampage, turning the Avengers' divisive but previously only philosophical argument over the Sokovia Accords into an active crisis.]]
* In ''Film/BlackWidow2021'' although Natasha was largely deprogrammed by Clint and S.H.I.E.L.D. the climax reveals that [[spoiler: she's physically unable to attack the BigBad as long as she can smell him]].

* In the ''Literature/{{Deryni}}'' works, Sean Lord Derry suffers from this, referring to nightmares he had after his captivity and [[MindRape torture]] at the hands of Wencit of Torenth. He reluctantly admits the nightmares returned years later in anticipation of Kelson's trip to Torenth for Liam-Lajos's investiture in ''King Kelson's Bride''. This [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadows]] Morag's reasserting control over his mind, control which is taken and used by [[spoiler: Teymuraz]].
* In the Literature/NewJediOrder, after Tahiri is rescued from an attempt to brainwash her into believing she was a [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Yuuzhan Vong]], it became a running subplot for several books that she retained most of the false memories subconsciously and under moments of extreme stress would adopt Vong mannerisms or even spout the Vong language. It was eventually revealed that the brainwashing had failed to overwrite Tahiri's original personality but ''had'' succeeded in creating a Yuuzhan Vong personality, Riina, who was almost totally independent of Tahiri's own mind. They ended up [[SplitPersonalityMerge combining into a third personality]] to avoid going incurably insane.

* Happens in ''Series/Warehouse13'' after [[spoiler:Leena]] is saved from being brainwashed by [=McPhearson=].
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E19TheNthDegree The Nth Degree]]", Lt. Barclay gets a brain upgrade by some aliens, which goes away after it is no longer needed. Later, he and Troi are in Ten-Forward and he sees a chess game, moves a piece, and says "Checkmate in three moves."
-->'''Troi:''' Reg, I didn't know you play chess.\\
'''Barclay:''' I don't.
* Crichton from ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' has Scorpius residue for ages after getting his chip removed (overlaps with ImaginaryEnemy).
* In the original ''Series/{{V 1983}}'' miniseries, Diana has attempted to brainwash Julie Parish into becoming TheQuisling. She fights off the brainwashing, mostly successfully, but occasionally catches herself using the wrong hand. In ''V: The Final Battle'', Diana telepathically commands Julie and she has flashbacks to the brainwashing. Julie doesn't quite give in, but the internal struggle gives Diana a chance to escape.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''

** Also, after Dracula [[spoiler:Renfield-ised Xander]] in season five, [[spoiler:Xander]] still referred to Dracula as "Master" several episodes later [[spoiler:and in the Season 8 comics.]]

* ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' has Olivia retaining the expert (as in Olympic medal-winning) marksmanship of the person she was brainwashed into believing she was even after she regains her own memories.
* Echo shows signs of this in early episodes of ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'', remembering details of each personality she is imprinted with after they are supposed to have been wiped. Eventually, they evolve into a MindHive personality distinct from each individual one as well as Caroline, her body's original occupant.
* After Team Coulson escapes the Framework in ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', the agents who were plugged in with their memories rewritten retained knowledge from their previous lives. Phil Coulson gained an almost encyclopedic knowledge of history due to being a history teacher, and Mack's skills in the Spanish language were improved by helping his virtual daughter with her homework. Unfortunately, not all of these changes were for the better. Case in point: Leo Fitz, who emerged with a full-on split personality in the form of the Doctor, his sadistic alter-ego in the Framework.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E7TheWarGames The War Games]]", the Doctor and his companions turn up in what appears to be World War One and get [[TimeTravelersAreSpies arrested under suspicion of being German spies]] by a British officer. Turns out they're not even on Earth and aliens are using brainwashed humans to train an army. While DressingAsTheEnemy, the Doctor sees the British officer being brainwashed again with apparent success...except he suddenly accuses the Doctor of being a German spy again. Fortunately, the Doctor then uses this to convince the brainwashing expert that he has to [[NiceJobFixingItVillain completely wipe the brainwashing first before starting over again]]...

* ''Theatre/BeMoreChill has anxious teen Jeremy implant a supercomputer called a SQUIP in his brain to help him be cooler, but it turns abusive and forces him to repress his true self. [[spoiler:The climax sees the SQUIP convince Jeremy to spread [=SQUIPs=] to his other classmates, brainwashing them as well. At the end, the SQUIP and its bretheren are deactivated and Jeremy sings about how he's no longer afraid of the voices in his head. Then the SQUIP pops up briefly, boasting, "You'll never be rid of me!" implying the effects aren't gone for good, but Jeremy [[ShutUpHannibal silences it]] through the power of his own positive thinking.]]

* VideoGame/NieR decides to save Kainé [[spoiler:at the cost of his own existence]] in the final ending. When she comes to, [[spoiler:she starts crying when she finds the flower Nier gave her, but can't remember who it was from.]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXIII'', [[spoiler:Ash sacrifices his existence to prevent the entire Ash Saga from happening.]] None of the other characters remember him, except for Elisabeth, due to having his TragicKeepsake.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Even after Cloud, who absorbed and/or assimilated Zack's memories, regains his real memories, he retains Zack's fighting style and some of his mannerisms. Although he reverts to his real personality and becomes more comfortable with showing his insecurities, he occasionally still puts on Zack's cocky act in front of the others.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps''

** This extends to ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII'' - at the end of the second 1980s level, Mason encounters [[spoiler:Lev Kravchenko, previously presumed dead in Vietnam. During the next scene, he has to actively suppress an urge to execute him on the spot so that Woods can get some useful information out of him.]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Galaxion}}'': After spending a couple of hours breaking out of Miesti control, [[spoiler: Zandarin and Aria]] seem to have acquired {{telepathy}}. He copes, but she's freaked out.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', Tim Drake still has aftereffects of his last encounter with The Joker (of the 'uncontrollable shaking and bad dreams' kind) after 40 years. Given what The Joker put him through, that's really not that surprising. Albeit some of that can be clarified as [[spoiler: the Joker's mind chip on him]]. For example, his disdain and regret for being Robin was a result of [[spoiler: the Joker's chip beginning to affect him. Once it's gone,]] so is any disdain toward his past. He actually didn't blame Bruce or Barbara and did enjoy being Robin.