This chapter examines the role of dead bodies in the construction of political narratives and national identities, exploring the intersection of memory, power, and social politics in the commemoration and manipulation of the deceased. Through case studies of memorials such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, the preservation of Communist leaders like Lenin, and the repatriation of Indigenous remains like Yagan’s, this paper highlights the profound agency of dead bodies in shaping political discourse. Drawing on the concepts of postmortem agency (Crandall and Martin) and dead body politics (Verdery), the chapter analyzes how human remains, through their strategic placement, preservation, and memorialization, serve as conduits for national memory, territorial claims, and the negotiation of collective identities. The paper further explores how bodies of genocide victims—particularly in the context of the Rwandan genocide—become living archives that challenge historical narratives and amplify collective trauma. Through an exploration of the necropolitics involved in the memorialization of these bodies, the paper underscores how the dead continue to exert power over the living, shaping societal values, memory, and identity long after death.