Comes Back Wrong

Tropes and genres
Synonym(s)	Came back wrong,
Related tropes/genres	Reincarnation, Alternate Universe, Resurrection (story trope)
Related articles on Fanlore.

Comes Back Wrong is a trope in a growing number of fandoms, particularly those with supernatural elements or magic. It is related to the resurrection trope, but often takes a darker twist on the trope with the resurrected person being permanently or temporarily changed by their experience. Other times, the 'coming back wrong' will not involve resurrecting a character, but instead rescuing them from some kind of prolonged supernatural experience – such as being trapped in a demonic dimension or alternate universe – where they are significantly affected by their experience.

Sometimes there are visible or external indicators of the character coming back wrong or the character comes back with new powers or abilities. Other times, the resurrected character comes back completely unlike their original self, sometimes having been transformed into a monster of some kind, which may or may not be reflected in their outward appearance. However, more commonly the trope focuses on changes in the character's personality, temperament, and morality without completely removing the original character; these will often be present when physical or power-related changes are also present.

This trope focuses on story-lines where the character is not expected to come back changed in any significant way. For example, in most media where vampires or zombies exist, it is typically established that the act of changing a human into a vampire or zombie will lead to significant changes in their personality, behaviour, and morality (or becoming unrecognisable from their original human self entirely), so they would not be considered to have 'come back wrong' as the changes were expected.

It has become an increasingly popular prompt in some fandom fanwork weeks, notably in the Stranger Things fandom, which has canonical supernatural elements which make resurrection a canonical possibility, and darker elements to said elements which make coming back wrong a notable possibility.

Canon Uses

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer often touched on this trope with the frequent occurrence of the standard resurrection trope throughout the series. Buffy herself fears that after being pulled out of heaven in Season 6, that she came back wrong somehow, and when Dawn attempts the resurrection spell to bring Joyce back to life, the audience is shown a silhouette in the curtains which strongly suggests Joyce has been resurrected 'wrong' before Dawn breaks the spell.
• Stranger Things uses this trope with Will Byers in season two with Will having been rescued from the Upside Down by Joyce and Hopper at the end of season one, but going through notable changes throughout season two due to his connection to the Upside Down and the control the Mind Flayer has over him.
• Some Batman universes and mediums use this trope with Ra's al Ghul and his repeated resurrection through use of the Lazarus Pit; with each subsequent revival Ra's becomes increasingly changed from his original self.
• Alan Wake uses a version of this trope to underpin the entire premise of the game, with the character of Thomas Zane having used the supernatural powers of Cauldron Lake to revive his dead wife, Barbara, but failing to close the plothole which allowed the Dark Presence to overtake her.
• The book series, The Sookie Stackhouse Series (which True Blood is adapted from), uses an example of how this trope can be altered for a universe where vampires are commonplace and known, as well as differing from typical vampire portrayals. In the books, a rock-star, Bubba (who is based off of Elvis Presley) is turned into a vampire after dying of a drug overdose. However, the drugs interfere with the process of being turned into a vampire and leads to unexpected changes in Bubba.

Fandoms

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

• In Stranger Things, the character of Eddie Munson is most often at the centre of this trope in fanworks. Due to the reasonably popular Kas Theory that was widely discussed as a possibility between seasons four and five of the show, fanworks began to pop up about Eddie being revived following his death in the Upside Down but coming back as something supernatural. Some variation of vampire is the most common way Eddie 'comes back wrong'. Other characters who have died in the show, such as Chrissy, Billy or Barb may also be subject to revival and come back wrong in various ways.
• In Batman fanworks, it is common for Jason Todd (and other characters) to be written as experiencing longer-term side effects of the Lazarus Pit, with a number of fanworks exploring the idea of Jason coming back wrong or different. Lazarus Pit Side Effects is a relatively popular tag on AO3 within the fandom.
• After it was revealed that season three of the cancelled Warrior Nun intended to follow a Dark!Ava arc, this trope has been explored in fanworks with Ava coming back from her time in Reya's realm changed somehow. It is more often a temporary 'comes back wrong', as Ava's canonical love interest, Beatrice, often manages to get Ava to change back.

Fanworks

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

• Warrior Nun: come back (even as a shadow, even as a dream) by karatam
• Stranger Things: a special privilege for the resurrected by theopteryx; but you see no ghosts in me at all by MaryPSue
• Batman: Nightwing: Under the Red Hood by CanaryCry

Links

• Works tagged with Comes Back Wrong on AO3
• 'Came Back Wrong' trope on TV Tropes
• Stranger Things and the History of the Trope of 'Coming Back Wrong'