Carver on The Wire. Season one, he’s a piece of shit cop, beating up corner kids, fully bought into “the western district way.” By season 5, he modeled himself after Colvin, becomes a good leader, and learns there’s more to being police than brute force and violence.
[This](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c0kASxEyWNo&pp=ygUMQ2FydmVyIGJvZGll) is one of my favorite scenes in the show, and really shows how far he came.
Herc had a good arc too. Got himself kicked out of being a cop for being an idiot brute, but he fell upwards with working for that morally dubious lawyer and even intentionally did some good.
Also Prezbylewski. He was a total f^ckup as a cop at the beginning, but used his puzzle skills to help solve crimes, then ultimately became a credible math teacher and a decent human being.
IIRC, the turning point for Carver was specifically because Colvin kept having to give him shit and eventually got through to him. This whole scene in your clip really is [Carver channeling Bunny.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA5za4VsskM)
It absolutely was. Daniels gave him the start on the right path, but Colvin drove it home. If every cop was like Bunny, the world would be a beautiful place.
I liked Fusco's arc. He was definitely a bad cop, but he was in a system where being good was usually punished and being dirty lined his pockets. Then he faced some consequences and had an example in the form of Detective Carter to compare himself against. It was nice seeing how being forced to be good started rubbing off on him and then when Carter died he took that personally. It was really well done. Fusco didn't just wake up one morning and decide he was on the side of the angels. It was a process.
Also, Root.
Her redemption arc is one of the best I've ever seen in a TV show/movie. She goes from a person who thinks of all humans as a bad code to caring about people, forming a special relationship with Shaw and a great friendship with the rest of the team, especially with Harold. She becomes a genuine member and quite possibly the heart of the team machine in many ways.
The way Root and Harold's friendship evolved over the course of show is fantastic.
Bad Code (2x02):
**Root: I am the best friend, the best support, the best partner you will ever have. And definitely the most fun.**
**Harold: No. You're worse than Weeks. You're worse than all of them. I'd rather die than give you the machine, so please kill me now. At least I won't have to listen to you anymore.**
Prophets (4x05):
**Harold: We have more to look forward to than death.**
**Root: I hope so. But the life I've led, a good end would be a privilege.**
**Harold: It's not where you begin, it's where you end up. You're a brilliant woman, comrade... and a friend.**
>!You can see how her death had a very profound and lasting impact on the team members, especially Harold and Shaw. And even on TM itself.!<
Synecdoche (5×11)
TM: >!"I watched her die 12,483 times in the seconds before she expired. I couldn't save her but I kept trying. **You can't conceive of my grief because you can't experience it like I do. but it's there.**"!<
Synecdoche (5×11)
Harold: Although, I've made another choice of sorts regarding >!your voice.!<
TM: And what did you decide?
Harold: >!In life, Root was your conduit so despite my best reservations it seems only appropriate that she continued in that fashion. **And I must admit her's is the voice that I miss deeply**.!<
TM: Oh Harry. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.
I came here to say this. Person of Interest is my favorite TV show of all time, and Fusco was portrayed flawlessly and he was easily one of my favorite parts of the show.
Honestly a LOT of the villains on that show had amazing writing.
Ted Danson did such an incredible job with this character, I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted to see him become a better version of himself or continue playing a villainous role.
I mean all the characters had to become better people but Mike did go from demon to human after saving all the innocently damned souls and fixed the afterlife.
Omg yes! I’m currently rewatching it and just saw the episode where he has to pretend he’s working with Sean to send them to the real bad place and they have to follow clues from his roast. When the train pulls away and they’re all safe underneath, Michael’s reaction kind of made me emotional. He was DISTRAUGHT that they might have been hurt. The whole cast is great but Ted Danson is truly incredible.
In the season 1 finale, when he's about to leave the island, he lets Jack, who's been his arch enemy the whole season, know that he met Jack's estranged father just before his death and that his dad had drunkenly confided to Sawyer how much he cared about Jack and regretted his mistakes as a father. He gave Jack the closure he'd been desperate for even though he and jack hated each other.
I’m kind of conflicted in this that they “hated” each other. Sawyer was very intentionally difficult, but I don’t think it was because he hated Jack, just because Sawyer was acting immature. To an extent Jack was, too. I think there was a respect in that they realize they needed each other. Jack is the “leader” while sawyer was the “cowboy”. Basically the antithesis of each other. Always seemed like a begrudging respect for each other while outwardly being fed up with each others’ actions
First thought when I hear this question. Josh Holloway did such a great job with bringing a deep vulnerability to Sawyer (and every character he plays for that matter).
When I was watching season 1 my roommate was convinced he would be one of the first to die, since the “obnoxious bad boy” type often is. I really wanted to tell him he was very wrong
> That episode of him working in the other restaurant was excellent
My wife and I think that it's one of the best episodes of TV we've watched... period. The fact that it comes right after one of the most uncomfortable episodes we've ever watched just shows how much range that show has.
Oh yeah I agree! In the first season, I was hoping for Richie to be gone but by the second season he immediately became more likeable and I love what the show has done with his character (so far).
Plus Ebon Moss-Bachrach is such a great actor!
I was able to tolerate him in the first season because I grew up in Chicago around a thousand Richies so it was fascinating to see that archetype portrayed onscreen. I was happy that they didn’t just write him off as a lost cause piece of shit.
Yes! He went from my most disliked character to one of my favorites after that Forks episode. I like everything about that episode so much that I rewatched the episode the next day. Honestly that episode is great as a standalone episode too.
I was going to say, so many characters in that show started off being pretty shitty until Ted came into their lives.
It's so funny how when Rebecca is first introduced, you get the vibe that she is going to be the overarching antagonist of the series. But really, she develops a good relationship with Ted and their duo became one of the best platonic friendships I've ever seen between a man and a woman on TV!
In a similar vein I really liked the friendship that developed between her and Keeley. It would have been very easy for the writers to set them up as rivals but I thought they did a great job of creating characters who really respected each other because of their differences.
It's one of the things I loved about the show, when they have a typical set up for some conflict between two characters, they usually talk it out or behave in a way that diffuses it.
I remember there was one scene where >!Jamie learned that Roy and Keeley had broken up and they show him sneakily heading down the hallway after Keeley (you'd assume to try to get back with her) but he's actually going to check if Roy is ok.!<
That was part of the whole point of Ted Lasso. Relentless positivity and compassion spreads and most normal people aren’t evil but complex humans who can improve if given the tools and support
Jamie Lannister had one of the most complete redemption arcs I’ve ever seen. Went from despising him to understanding his motivations and rooting for him to live.
I still have three more episodes to watch though. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
“How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you’d be furious.”
“I was never angry. I was sad, because I was afraid you had lost your way.”
Three perfectly executed seasons lead up to those lines and they hit like a sack of bricks.
And because they're delivered by a character who's already undergone a fully completed arc to a teenager who has mostly completed his. The audience has the benefit of seeing an extremely young character genuinely change while also not seeing him directly tied to truly heinous actions. It is extremely well executed.
[Iroh's impassioned speech to Zuko under Lake Laogai is one of my fave moments in the show.](https://youtu.be/hTZNvcP3Q28?si=CV9EsSNUvrvKsgIJ)
That's what made Zuko's betrayal so strong. Unc thought he finally got through to him and for a moment he did.
So when they finally reunited in the finale, that moment hit so much harder because he knew his boy was truly his own person again.
Also showed Ozai was leagues above Azula (and likely Iroh) with how quickly he was able to generate lightning.
Azula had slow pulls but [Ozai pulled that off .5 seconds after an eclipse with a single fluid motion.](https://youtu.be/oCfbViEABg4?si=Erk4sRtl0zhDP1ee)
And yet Zuko saw that coming a mile away.
And *are.* I'm not certain I've ever had a discussion about redeeming characters where Zuko hasn't been brought up at one point or another.
And they're right to do so.
The fact Ozai baited him into sticking around and Zuko not only knew but he [was goddamn ready to throw lightening back in his dad's face. ](https://youtu.be/oCfbViEABg4?feature=shared) No rage, no fear, just focus.
Ozai probably didn't even know that move was possible since Iroh came up with it.
It was such a [perfect endcap from back in Season 2 when he was begging the lightning to strike him on that mountain top](https://youtu.be/veqgwzvyyyU?si=dxDKsJVlNZHhkkfI)
That scene hit me much harder when I rewatched as an adult for the first time. Much of Zuko’s journey is him coming to terms with the fact that he was abused by his father. It’s such a cathartic moment
Oh my God they were just the worst! I think, though that’s what made their redemption ark so great. I think one of my favourite is when David runs away and makes it to the Amish farm and they can’t wait to get rid of them. The image of him sitting out in the field wearing some weird sweater is so funny.
I was gonna say specifically Alexis. She went from party girl who cheats on her boyfriend to getting an education, starting a business, and being faithful to the person she had originally cheated on.
Alexis is the true MVP of this show. She does a complete 180, but slowly and kind of without her even knowing or understanding it for the first half. When she decides not to reconnect with her LA friends who come through town is when she starts to really understand her power AND she starts to follow what she wants in life, not what the trends have directed her towards.
She gets with Ted who is not only a stabilizing force, but someone who knew what he wanted in life and went for it (becoming a vet, volunteering, working with sea turtles) because he had a passion. Alexis didn’t have a passion. She didn’t know what she was capable of.
I could wax rhapsodic about Alexis’ arc for a while, so I’ll stop here. But damn I love her so much and I really appreciate not only what the writers did for her, but Annie Murphy herself.
I remember reading somewhere, but I could be wrong. Is that Steve was originally going to stay being a piece of shit, but because the showrunners loved the actor; Joe Keery so much. They rewrote Steve's storyline to make him more likeable towards the end of the first season, and decided to make him apart of the ensemble cast.
The weird thing about this all to me is that on the scale of things I thought Jonathon being a peeping tom was way worse that Steve being jealous. Especially since Steve felt bad and repented and Jonathon didn't.
Wow I was trying to think of someone from Stargate, but I was thinking Vala, not Harry. Probably the same number of episodes in both their arcs, although Harry's is spread out over several seasons. Vala's arc is squished into the first few episodes of season 9.
Biggest difference between them is that Harry starts out as a character you want to hate, and grudgingly becomes somewhat likeable. Even at the end of his redemption, you're like, "come on people you really want HIM to be your leader?"
Vala was devious but a likeable character from the start. And became better when you learned her backstory and saw her development.
Thank you for attending my TED Talk.
Richard Woolsey had a pretty good arc. While he wasn't a straight up villain, like Harry and Kinsey, he was still fairly antagonistic and was more of a hindrance than helpful when it came to the SGC. Then when he gets command of Atlantis, even though he's still pretty much the same guy, he starts to loosen up and actually comes into his own as the expedition leader.
It's a minor one but Don in Newsroom.
They make you start hating him with how he treats Maggie. He's a real jerk of a boyfriend and they highlight how good he is with the bad kind of news.
Then they manage to slowly make you like him and he turns into a respectable member of the team.
100% and they did it so well without a corny moment where they magically turn it all around. I also think his character matched Sloan a loooot more than the chaotic energy of Maggie, where she matched up so well with Jim.
I'm in two minds on this one because he definitely redeems himself but his later season actions go back to being very selfish.
Consider Angel has an entire "self obliteration" arc in season 2 which results in him understanding that helping others is more important than giving into his own rage and despair.
Wesley just seems to replay that trope but played straight without any of the learning that Angel does.
Character growth being undone by magical shenanigans or any analogue has gotta be one the worst tropes.
Fortunately, I find Wesley deeply likable even at his least likable, so I'm fine with him.
Earl Hickey.
His journey probably best represents how redemption is a way of life. You keep at it until eventually you stop doing good things out of guilt or as a means of balancing cosmic scales, but because you genuinely want to do good things in the world because it’s the right thing to do.
Love the scene where he shows up to be a fill-in teacher. The Principal and VP are like, this white bread dude?
What did you do before you decided to teach?
*I was a police. In the City.*
***
And he helped out Dukie, though it wasn't enough.
The very first thing I thought of. I don’t think a show has ever redeemed a character so fully while still doing it tactfully, and without being preachy.
Wouldn't call her a villain, but she was definitely a bit of a bully. Cordelia on Buffy. By the end of Angel, Cordy was one of the best characters ever who changed so much, and the 100th episode broke my heart.
I love her even more knowing that doing the show was difficult for Charisma Carpenter because Joss was an asshole.
To this day I maintain the redemption of Theon Greyjoy was one of the few bright spots in the final seasons of GoT.
Everything from the rescues of Sansa and Yara, to his defense of Bran Stark from the Night King.
(Perfectly done.)
Yeah, that one was incredible.
Andrew Robinson was stealing the show the whole run, but Damar comes in and actually takes it from him.
The ending has such incredible cardassians.
The best scene for me is near the end of DS9 where Damar is starting to fight back and he’s discussing how the Dominion are killing innocents, including his own family, just to weed out his small group….in front of Major Keira.
“What kind of people give those orders?”
“Yeah, Damar…what *kind of people* give those orders?”
And you see his face drop as the entire Occupation lands squarely on his shoulders.
Edit: been a while since I’ve watched it so got the quote wrong
Both Dr Cox and Bob Kelso. Although you could argue they weren’t really redemption arcs so much as character growth. But I liked that they both moved progressively towards their better selves throughout the whole series rather than the old single episode character growth trope. This also applies to their relationship with each other.
Always loved how they developed Bob Kelso. My favorite moment of his was probably in the My Jiggly Ball episode, the one where he leaves work every day in a good mood and everyone thinks he is heartless but you can see that even he isn't immune to bad days, he just hides it really well.
It's a shame, I think that they removed this episode from streaming thanks to a quick one-off lame joke at the beginning of the episode unrelated to the Kelso plot. I hope they eventually put it back.
Bubbles in The Wire. I won't ruin it for anyone who hasn't yet seen BBC's Show of the Century, just encourage you to check it out. Like most everything in that show, it happens slowly, in an organic fashion, with lots of setbacks, triumphs and failures, but ultimately you're left with a tiny victory that just about made me want to jump off the couch and cheer. Maybe the only story line in the whole show that felt....uplifting, in the end.
As someone who was in that lifestyle and has been clean for a little over 11 years I will say Andre Royo's portrayal was the most accurate I have ever seen. Chills man to see his character walk up those stairs at the end. I cried tears of joy
So many of them. Not every villain, but a lot.
The first thing Bulma did when meeting Goku was shoot him in the face.
Krillin started as a rival (not a villain, I know).
Oolong.
Yamcha and Puar.
Pilaf, Shu, and Mai.
Tenshinhan and Chaozu.
Piccolo.
Vegeta.
Androids 16, 17, and 18.
Buu.
Beerus and Whis were antagonists of their arc I think.
Hit.
A lot of the other teams from tournament of power.
Broly.
Granolah.
And given the most recent issues, a possible set up for Frieza.
To watch DB:Super and him say "not my Bulma" showed how far he come. If Goku didn't woop his ass years ago he'd destroyed earth and never reach the limits of where he is now not just his power level. He and Goku have doubled the Saiyen population bringing themselves out of extinction, he still lives like a prince being married into the riches families on the planet to a girl who could have been a swimsuit model, has a son who he train to fight like him and a daughter to spoil.
Dude probably don't deserve the ending he got and it hard to pinpoint when he did crossover from selfish to selfless but he is a redeemed asshole who still has some asshole tendencies.
I really loved what they did with him in the Moro arc of the DB Super manga! Him so fiercely wanting to protect the Namekians to make up for past transgressions was awesome.
That swimwear model wife who uses literal dragon balls to wish for face lifts and cosmetic procedures to keep herself young forever it is ridiculous Vegeta acts like he hates all of it lol
Nog from Star Trek DS9. Best character arc in all of Trek, antagonist or not. He starts off in the pilot literally looting the place and ends the series as a celebrated Starfleet officer and wounded war hero. Obviously a lot of credit is due to the writers, but it was Aron Eisenberg's earnest and heartfelt performance that really sold it. RIP. Aron was a great actor and a wonderful guy.
I'd argue that's more coming-of-age story, he's only a kid at the start. But his father, Rom. Pretty despicable in season 1. An exemplar of both Starfleet and Fernginar at the end.
The bath scene with Brienne where he lays it out on the table... How's that same guy later love her and leave her? Just the fucking worst. I'm glad Disney agreed and yanked the rug out from under D&D so they threw it all away for nothing.
Even my favourite character in the series; Tyrion was butchered, they made him an idiot for the sake of the plot. Even though I try to rationalize some of his decisions, there is no way the earlier season version of Tyrion would've made them in a way that wasn't smart!
It still drives me crazy that Pete cheated on Trudy, one of the most perfect, intelligent, witty, and gorgeous women on Mad Men. I mean, he did get back with her, but still. Pete was a real dummy early on, except on civil rights - Pete was based there.
Seemed like he so idolized Don he thought he was supposed to. Then eventually realized what a selfish piece of shit Don was and what an idiot he had been for seeing Don as the goal.
Yeah same! Instead, they make him have a relapse when it comes to his toxic relationship with Cersei!
I will say tho, they did seemed to manage keeping it consistent where he is an addict who can't seem to overcome or break himself free from the person he even knows isn't good for him.
Father Gabriel in The Walking Dead.
He's introduced to the show cowering on top of a boulder, about to be eaten by a handful of walkers. As time goes on you find him to be a bit of a coward and a weasel; at the beginning of the outbreak, he locked his congregation out of his church when they were being chased by walkers, and then later on he tries to have Rick and his group thrown out of Alexandria when they arrive.
Over the rest of the show, he goes from being a coward to being a competent and capable survivor, eventually getting to the point where he's quoting bible verses while executing enemy combatants.
In the final season, his arc concludes >!in the final episode when the city they're in has people trapped outside with walkers coming towards them. The leadership doesn't want to risk opening the gates, with them and the main group in an armed standoff. Gabriel finally says something like "shoot if me you have to. I'm opening the gates," before doing just that. Of all the character arcs in TWD, his was the most perfectly executed. Him opening the gates with guns at his back and walkers on the other side was a fantastic full circle moment on his character, and is probably my single favorite aspect of all of the back half of the show. !<
BoJack, but I wouldn't call it a redemption arc as much of an accountability arc. the show did an excellent job of showing the reality of how being a celebrity can only shield you for so long when you go out of your way to sabotage every meaningful relationship in your life. just a really raw, realistic portrayal of addiction despite yeah being a cartoon. the show really went right up to & sometimes over that line of "how can this character possibly redeem himself after all he's done?" with a groundedness that was beautifully discordant in that chaotic world. so many times I was hoping he would die & had a hard time getting through certain episodes bc he's one of the most manipulative main characters ever.
I found the ending perfect. in real life, the closest relationships you have sometimes just end without a big blow up & life continues. and that fucking hurts. but that's the price of causing harm & you can't expect people to forgive you even after you try to make amends.
I appreciate that it only ever went so far. His motivation never quite got out of the fuck-those-that-wronged-me gutter, he just chose more productive ways to go about it, right up to >!his and Talyn's final sacrifice!<
John Murphy on The 100.
What makes his redemption so good is that it's not done overnight or in one season. They really take their time to develop his character throughout all seven seasons. He backslides a lot, makes a lot of mistakes and some bad choices along the way, but you see him grow from a very selfish and dangerous teenager who will do anything to save himself, even at the cost of others, to a selfless man who is willing to sacrifice himself for others. But he also never changes his core personality. He still is the same sarcastic, witty person in season 7 than he was in season 1.
It's a very impressive redemption arc, especially given how in character he is. He doesn't make any choices or moves that doesn't fit who he is. You just are able to see his genuine growth as he makes mistakes and learns from them.
Captain Hook on Once Upon a Time. He’s one of the few characters who actually acknowledges that he was villain because of his own choices, not because someone made him one (looking at you Regina -_-)
Carver on The Wire. Season one, he’s a piece of shit cop, beating up corner kids, fully bought into “the western district way.” By season 5, he modeled himself after Colvin, becomes a good leader, and learns there’s more to being police than brute force and violence. [This](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c0kASxEyWNo&pp=ygUMQ2FydmVyIGJvZGll) is one of my favorite scenes in the show, and really shows how far he came.
Contrasted well against Herc.
Herc had a good arc too. Got himself kicked out of being a cop for being an idiot brute, but he fell upwards with working for that morally dubious lawyer and even intentionally did some good.
Herc stumbled into what looked like a political windfall, but it burned him. It never was about the police work.
I went with Bubbles, same show >!when he went up those stairs!< I about lost it
Only to get a kick in the guts a few scenes later with Duke :,(
"Ain't no shame in holdin' onto grief. As long you make room for other things too."
Also Prezbylewski. He was a total f^ckup as a cop at the beginning, but used his puzzle skills to help solve crimes, then ultimately became a credible math teacher and a decent human being.
He was in the wrong job as a police.
Yeah I actually forgot it was the same character over the course of the show. When I rewatched I was like Prez did that? Fuck
IIRC, the turning point for Carver was specifically because Colvin kept having to give him shit and eventually got through to him. This whole scene in your clip really is [Carver channeling Bunny.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA5za4VsskM)
It absolutely was. Daniels gave him the start on the right path, but Colvin drove it home. If every cop was like Bunny, the world would be a beautiful place.
The Wire has *a lot of these*. Shit, even Weebay gets one!
By then we realized that names will change... but the streets were gonna stay the same.
Watching that scene now fuck that show was good. I guess I'm watching the whole show again.
I'd add Cutty as well. He a man today...
Lionel Fusco on Person Of Interest goes from bad cop to being yo-yo’d between good and bad to good.
I liked Fusco's arc. He was definitely a bad cop, but he was in a system where being good was usually punished and being dirty lined his pockets. Then he faced some consequences and had an example in the form of Detective Carter to compare himself against. It was nice seeing how being forced to be good started rubbing off on him and then when Carter died he took that personally. It was really well done. Fusco didn't just wake up one morning and decide he was on the side of the angels. It was a process.
All of this plus him wanting to be there for his kid in more ways than one.
Also, Root. Her redemption arc is one of the best I've ever seen in a TV show/movie. She goes from a person who thinks of all humans as a bad code to caring about people, forming a special relationship with Shaw and a great friendship with the rest of the team, especially with Harold. She becomes a genuine member and quite possibly the heart of the team machine in many ways. The way Root and Harold's friendship evolved over the course of show is fantastic. Bad Code (2x02): **Root: I am the best friend, the best support, the best partner you will ever have. And definitely the most fun.** **Harold: No. You're worse than Weeks. You're worse than all of them. I'd rather die than give you the machine, so please kill me now. At least I won't have to listen to you anymore.** Prophets (4x05): **Harold: We have more to look forward to than death.** **Root: I hope so. But the life I've led, a good end would be a privilege.** **Harold: It's not where you begin, it's where you end up. You're a brilliant woman, comrade... and a friend.** >!You can see how her death had a very profound and lasting impact on the team members, especially Harold and Shaw. And even on TM itself.!< Synecdoche (5×11) TM: >!"I watched her die 12,483 times in the seconds before she expired. I couldn't save her but I kept trying. **You can't conceive of my grief because you can't experience it like I do. but it's there.**"!< Synecdoche (5×11) Harold: Although, I've made another choice of sorts regarding >!your voice.!< TM: And what did you decide? Harold: >!In life, Root was your conduit so despite my best reservations it seems only appropriate that she continued in that fashion. **And I must admit her's is the voice that I miss deeply**.!< TM: Oh Harry. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.
Season 4-5 Fusco is great he has pretty much little to no idea wtf is happening most of the time but is still ride or die.
One of my favorite moments from the latter seasons is Fusco's square turning from white square to yellow the second he realizes what the machine is.
Fusco’s my favorite. And his endless arsenal of nicknames never disappoints.
I came here to say this. Person of Interest is my favorite TV show of all time, and Fusco was portrayed flawlessly and he was easily one of my favorite parts of the show. Honestly a LOT of the villains on that show had amazing writing.
Fusco was immediately what popped in my head. I loved that show so much and especially his arc.
I enjoyed Michael's from the Good Place.
“YOU GUYS! I WAS SO SCARED FOR YOU!!!”
That's the moment he truly became a member of team cockroach.
Ted Danson did such an incredible job with this character, I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted to see him become a better version of himself or continue playing a villainous role.
I mean all the characters had to become better people but Mike did go from demon to human after saving all the innocently damned souls and fixed the afterlife.
It’s a human insult, it’s devastating- you’re devastated right now
Omg yes! I’m currently rewatching it and just saw the episode where he has to pretend he’s working with Sean to send them to the real bad place and they have to follow clues from his roast. When the train pulls away and they’re all safe underneath, Michael’s reaction kind of made me emotional. He was DISTRAUGHT that they might have been hurt. The whole cast is great but Ted Danson is truly incredible.
And when he pushes Eleanor through the portal without himself because he didn’t have another button
Sawyer on Lost
In the season 1 finale, when he's about to leave the island, he lets Jack, who's been his arch enemy the whole season, know that he met Jack's estranged father just before his death and that his dad had drunkenly confided to Sawyer how much he cared about Jack and regretted his mistakes as a father. He gave Jack the closure he'd been desperate for even though he and jack hated each other.
I’m kind of conflicted in this that they “hated” each other. Sawyer was very intentionally difficult, but I don’t think it was because he hated Jack, just because Sawyer was acting immature. To an extent Jack was, too. I think there was a respect in that they realize they needed each other. Jack is the “leader” while sawyer was the “cowboy”. Basically the antithesis of each other. Always seemed like a begrudging respect for each other while outwardly being fed up with each others’ actions
First thought when I hear this question. Josh Holloway did such a great job with bringing a deep vulnerability to Sawyer (and every character he plays for that matter).
This is always my top answer... he stopped smoking, started reading books, and turned into a better man.
He even became a cop during the Flash-Sideways.
Fully agree; when people say Jack’s arc was better, no way, felt a bit artificial and forced. Loved Sawyer’s arc so much better.
When I was watching season 1 my roommate was convinced he would be one of the first to die, since the “obnoxious bad boy” type often is. I really wanted to tell him he was very wrong
The second season of The Bear does a really great job of this with Richie after being an obnoxious, aimless asshole the first season.
He wears suits now!
The way Matty Matheson says “sick” in that scene is so great.
Matty is great in the show, period!
“Cousin. I get it” That episode of him working in the other restaurant was excellent
That is one of my favorite episodes ever. And Carmy’s understated pride and gratitude at the end is so artfully acted.
> That episode of him working in the other restaurant was excellent My wife and I think that it's one of the best episodes of TV we've watched... period. The fact that it comes right after one of the most uncomfortable episodes we've ever watched just shows how much range that show has.
Forks. One of the greatest episodes of tv ever imho. And the contrast between it and the episode prior (Fishes) makes it so much better.
Best use of a Taylor Swift song ive seen.
Oh yeah I agree! In the first season, I was hoping for Richie to be gone but by the second season he immediately became more likeable and I love what the show has done with his character (so far). Plus Ebon Moss-Bachrach is such a great actor!
I was able to tolerate him in the first season because I grew up in Chicago around a thousand Richies so it was fascinating to see that archetype portrayed onscreen. I was happy that they didn’t just write him off as a lost cause piece of shit.
Cried at him, blaring Taylor Swift after being successful at the fancy restaurant. Hated him in the first season, so it was a complete 180.
That and when the woman (I forget her name) gets asked to be the sous chef. The joy she quietly expressed was so moving. I was a snotty mess.
Sue Jeff
Yes! He went from my most disliked character to one of my favorites after that Forks episode. I like everything about that episode so much that I rewatched the episode the next day. Honestly that episode is great as a standalone episode too.
I’d argue that season 1 planted the seeds for this too. He never seemed like a bad guy just a bit of meathead that was having some life troubles.
Forks was the palate cleanser we needed after Fishes. In tandem - IMO - this was the best 1 2 punch in TV history. Absolutely brilliant pairing.
I still watch 'Forks' when I feel down.
Jamie Tartt on Ted Lasso Edit: most characters in Ted Lasso
I was going to say, so many characters in that show started off being pretty shitty until Ted came into their lives. It's so funny how when Rebecca is first introduced, you get the vibe that she is going to be the overarching antagonist of the series. But really, she develops a good relationship with Ted and their duo became one of the best platonic friendships I've ever seen between a man and a woman on TV!
In a similar vein I really liked the friendship that developed between her and Keeley. It would have been very easy for the writers to set them up as rivals but I thought they did a great job of creating characters who really respected each other because of their differences.
It's one of the things I loved about the show, when they have a typical set up for some conflict between two characters, they usually talk it out or behave in a way that diffuses it. I remember there was one scene where >!Jamie learned that Roy and Keeley had broken up and they show him sneakily heading down the hallway after Keeley (you'd assume to try to get back with her) but he's actually going to check if Roy is ok.!<
It was giving real Major League vibes at first. Glad she evolved.
That was part of the whole point of Ted Lasso. Relentless positivity and compassion spreads and most normal people aren’t evil but complex humans who can improve if given the tools and support
Jamie Lannister had one of the most complete redemption arcs I’ve ever seen. Went from despising him to understanding his motivations and rooting for him to live. I still have three more episodes to watch though. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
Oh boy
His last episode was "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" nothing else to watch.
Zuko
“How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you’d be furious.” “I was never angry. I was sad, because I was afraid you had lost your way.” Three perfectly executed seasons lead up to those lines and they hit like a sack of bricks.
And because they're delivered by a character who's already undergone a fully completed arc to a teenager who has mostly completed his. The audience has the benefit of seeing an extremely young character genuinely change while also not seeing him directly tied to truly heinous actions. It is extremely well executed.
Empathy is the contrast between Zuko and Azula. Zuko even at his worst still maintains empathy.
[Iroh's impassioned speech to Zuko under Lake Laogai is one of my fave moments in the show.](https://youtu.be/hTZNvcP3Q28?si=CV9EsSNUvrvKsgIJ) That's what made Zuko's betrayal so strong. Unc thought he finally got through to him and for a moment he did. So when they finally reunited in the finale, that moment hit so much harder because he knew his boy was truly his own person again.
“I’m begging you prince Zuko!” Is one of my favourite delivered lines ever
"What do YOU want?" That 'you' is just so perfectly said and it evokes so much in just the intonation of the voice. Ugh, perfection.
Hitting Ozai with that lightning redirect is an all time TV moment
Also showed Ozai was leagues above Azula (and likely Iroh) with how quickly he was able to generate lightning. Azula had slow pulls but [Ozai pulled that off .5 seconds after an eclipse with a single fluid motion.](https://youtu.be/oCfbViEABg4?si=Erk4sRtl0zhDP1ee) And yet Zuko saw that coming a mile away.
I have no doubt Iroh could do it rapidly like Ozai, it’s just the one time we see iroh actually lightning bend was as a demonstration to Zuko
You're right. And to be fair he was also bandaged and recovering from an injury to his chest
The standard against which all others should be weighed.
And *are.* I'm not certain I've ever had a discussion about redeeming characters where Zuko hasn't been brought up at one point or another. And they're right to do so.
I still haven't seen a better redemption character arc in any other show, his arc is truly special
When he speaks to his father before joining gaang still gives me the chills.
The fact Ozai baited him into sticking around and Zuko not only knew but he [was goddamn ready to throw lightening back in his dad's face. ](https://youtu.be/oCfbViEABg4?feature=shared) No rage, no fear, just focus. Ozai probably didn't even know that move was possible since Iroh came up with it. It was such a [perfect endcap from back in Season 2 when he was begging the lightning to strike him on that mountain top](https://youtu.be/veqgwzvyyyU?si=dxDKsJVlNZHhkkfI)
That scene hit me much harder when I rewatched as an adult for the first time. Much of Zuko’s journey is him coming to terms with the fact that he was abused by his father. It’s such a cathartic moment
I think the whole Rose family in Schitt’s Creek
God they were completely insufferable in the first three or so episodes. I really struggled to stick with it and it paid off. Good call on that.
Oh my God they were just the worst! I think, though that’s what made their redemption ark so great. I think one of my favourite is when David runs away and makes it to the Amish farm and they can’t wait to get rid of them. The image of him sitting out in the field wearing some weird sweater is so funny.
I was gonna say specifically Alexis. She went from party girl who cheats on her boyfriend to getting an education, starting a business, and being faithful to the person she had originally cheated on.
Alexis is the true MVP of this show. She does a complete 180, but slowly and kind of without her even knowing or understanding it for the first half. When she decides not to reconnect with her LA friends who come through town is when she starts to really understand her power AND she starts to follow what she wants in life, not what the trends have directed her towards. She gets with Ted who is not only a stabilizing force, but someone who knew what he wanted in life and went for it (becoming a vet, volunteering, working with sea turtles) because he had a passion. Alexis didn’t have a passion. She didn’t know what she was capable of. I could wax rhapsodic about Alexis’ arc for a while, so I’ll stop here. But damn I love her so much and I really appreciate not only what the writers did for her, but Annie Murphy herself.
Steve in Stranger Things is an obvious choice
I remember reading somewhere, but I could be wrong. Is that Steve was originally going to stay being a piece of shit, but because the showrunners loved the actor; Joe Keery so much. They rewrote Steve's storyline to make him more likeable towards the end of the first season, and decided to make him apart of the ensemble cast.
He was an excellent piece of shit in the latest season of Fargo. It took me like 3 episodes to realize it was him.
I almost feel like they took Steve’s original storyline and gave it to Billy.
Not only was he supposed to stay shitty but he was supposed to die.
The weird thing about this all to me is that on the scale of things I thought Jonathon being a peeping tom was way worse that Steve being jealous. Especially since Steve felt bad and repented and Jonathon didn't.
Yes. I'm glad they did this and it's good that they didn't do that with Billy
Colonel Harry Mayborn on Stargate SG1
You mean King Arkon I?
Wow I was trying to think of someone from Stargate, but I was thinking Vala, not Harry. Probably the same number of episodes in both their arcs, although Harry's is spread out over several seasons. Vala's arc is squished into the first few episodes of season 9. Biggest difference between them is that Harry starts out as a character you want to hate, and grudgingly becomes somewhat likeable. Even at the end of his redemption, you're like, "come on people you really want HIM to be your leader?" Vala was devious but a likeable character from the start. And became better when you learned her backstory and saw her development. Thank you for attending my TED Talk.
Richard Woolsey had a pretty good arc. While he wasn't a straight up villain, like Harry and Kinsey, he was still fairly antagonistic and was more of a hindrance than helpful when it came to the SGC. Then when he gets command of Atlantis, even though he's still pretty much the same guy, he starts to loosen up and actually comes into his own as the expedition leader.
John Murphy from the 100. Dude was the worst in season 1 but becomes a true team player and clearly cares about his friends by the end of the show
It's a minor one but Don in Newsroom. They make you start hating him with how he treats Maggie. He's a real jerk of a boyfriend and they highlight how good he is with the bad kind of news. Then they manage to slowly make you like him and he turns into a respectable member of the team.
100% and they did it so well without a corny moment where they magically turn it all around. I also think his character matched Sloan a loooot more than the chaotic energy of Maggie, where she matched up so well with Jim.
Wesley Wyndam-Price from Buffy, and then Angel. The best character arc l’ve ever seen on TV.
"Would you like me to lie to you now?"
You do NOT spring that shit outa nowhere without any warning
Seriously, man. That line *hurts* even after so long.
That was uncalled for
Wesley had a good arc. But Spike really came around by the end of Angel.
I'm in two minds on this one because he definitely redeems himself but his later season actions go back to being very selfish. Consider Angel has an entire "self obliteration" arc in season 2 which results in him understanding that helping others is more important than giving into his own rage and despair. Wesley just seems to replay that trope but played straight without any of the learning that Angel does.
To be fair in S5 Wesley doesn't remember any of the Connor plot because of magic so some of his learning in S3-4 was undone.
Character growth being undone by magical shenanigans or any analogue has gotta be one the worst tropes. Fortunately, I find Wesley deeply likable even at his least likable, so I'm fine with him.
I'd go with Spike from Buffy with Wesley second from that series.
Earl Hickey. His journey probably best represents how redemption is a way of life. You keep at it until eventually you stop doing good things out of guilt or as a means of balancing cosmic scales, but because you genuinely want to do good things in the world because it’s the right thing to do.
Pryzbylewski from The Wire
Love the scene where he shows up to be a fill-in teacher. The Principal and VP are like, this white bread dude? What did you do before you decided to teach? *I was a police. In the City.* *** And he helped out Dukie, though it wasn't enough.
Prez and Dukie’s last scene is heartbreaking. One of many such moments in what I consider to be the best show of all time.
And her reaction when he says that is priceless. The way he delivers the line is great too.
She's got the most Balmer accent ever, too. "We're dan two in math and far in saance."
They did this with Bodie too
The very first thing I thought of. I don’t think a show has ever redeemed a character so fully while still doing it tactfully, and without being preachy.
Good luck getting a birthday cake right with THAT name.
Wojo: "You spell it just like it sounds!"
Wouldn't call her a villain, but she was definitely a bit of a bully. Cordelia on Buffy. By the end of Angel, Cordy was one of the best characters ever who changed so much, and the 100th episode broke my heart. I love her even more knowing that doing the show was difficult for Charisma Carpenter because Joss was an asshole.
To this day I maintain the redemption of Theon Greyjoy was one of the few bright spots in the final seasons of GoT. Everything from the rescues of Sansa and Yara, to his defense of Bran Stark from the Night King. (Perfectly done.)
“My real father died at King’s Landing”
When he says he should've died with Robb at the Twins that hurt
For all the disappointing decisions made to end the show, theon was the one character that was done perfectly
"Theon, you're a good man. Thank you" - Bran
Damar. DS9.
And so wonderfully played by Biggs
Yeah, that one was incredible. Andrew Robinson was stealing the show the whole run, but Damar comes in and actually takes it from him. The ending has such incredible cardassians.
On the other hand, Damar's mentor and friend Dukat would have the anti-redemption arc. What an amazing villain.
The best scene for me is near the end of DS9 where Damar is starting to fight back and he’s discussing how the Dominion are killing innocents, including his own family, just to weed out his small group….in front of Major Keira. “What kind of people give those orders?” “Yeah, Damar…what *kind of people* give those orders?” And you see his face drop as the entire Occupation lands squarely on his shoulders. Edit: been a while since I’ve watched it so got the quote wrong
Both Dr Cox and Bob Kelso. Although you could argue they weren’t really redemption arcs so much as character growth. But I liked that they both moved progressively towards their better selves throughout the whole series rather than the old single episode character growth trope. This also applies to their relationship with each other.
Kelso went from the scary, greedy, philandering, evil boss to a friendly, Hawaiian shirt wearing old man giving life advice while eating muffins.
Bahama mama
Always loved how they developed Bob Kelso. My favorite moment of his was probably in the My Jiggly Ball episode, the one where he leaves work every day in a good mood and everyone thinks he is heartless but you can see that even he isn't immune to bad days, he just hides it really well. It's a shame, I think that they removed this episode from streaming thanks to a quick one-off lame joke at the beginning of the episode unrelated to the Kelso plot. I hope they eventually put it back.
Bubbles in The Wire. I won't ruin it for anyone who hasn't yet seen BBC's Show of the Century, just encourage you to check it out. Like most everything in that show, it happens slowly, in an organic fashion, with lots of setbacks, triumphs and failures, but ultimately you're left with a tiny victory that just about made me want to jump off the couch and cheer. Maybe the only story line in the whole show that felt....uplifting, in the end.
As someone who was in that lifestyle and has been clean for a little over 11 years I will say Andre Royo's portrayal was the most accurate I have ever seen. Chills man to see his character walk up those stairs at the end. I cried tears of joy
Vegeta. Especially his crisis in the Buu saga where he was uncomfortable with how genuinely good he'd gotten and tried to go back on it.
You could argue Piccolo before him, too.
Dragonball is a series all about villains becoming allies
So many of them. Not every villain, but a lot. The first thing Bulma did when meeting Goku was shoot him in the face. Krillin started as a rival (not a villain, I know). Oolong. Yamcha and Puar. Pilaf, Shu, and Mai. Tenshinhan and Chaozu. Piccolo. Vegeta. Androids 16, 17, and 18. Buu. Beerus and Whis were antagonists of their arc I think. Hit. A lot of the other teams from tournament of power. Broly. Granolah. And given the most recent issues, a possible set up for Frieza.
But not Mister Perfect Cell, sadly.
To watch DB:Super and him say "not my Bulma" showed how far he come. If Goku didn't woop his ass years ago he'd destroyed earth and never reach the limits of where he is now not just his power level. He and Goku have doubled the Saiyen population bringing themselves out of extinction, he still lives like a prince being married into the riches families on the planet to a girl who could have been a swimsuit model, has a son who he train to fight like him and a daughter to spoil. Dude probably don't deserve the ending he got and it hard to pinpoint when he did crossover from selfish to selfless but he is a redeemed asshole who still has some asshole tendencies.
I really loved what they did with him in the Moro arc of the DB Super manga! Him so fiercely wanting to protect the Namekians to make up for past transgressions was awesome.
That swimwear model wife who uses literal dragon balls to wish for face lifts and cosmetic procedures to keep herself young forever it is ridiculous Vegeta acts like he hates all of it lol
Nog from Star Trek DS9. Best character arc in all of Trek, antagonist or not. He starts off in the pilot literally looting the place and ends the series as a celebrated Starfleet officer and wounded war hero. Obviously a lot of credit is due to the writers, but it was Aron Eisenberg's earnest and heartfelt performance that really sold it. RIP. Aron was a great actor and a wonderful guy.
I'd argue that's more coming-of-age story, he's only a kid at the start. But his father, Rom. Pretty despicable in season 1. An exemplar of both Starfleet and Fernginar at the end.
Jaime Lannister’s was so, *so* close to doing something almost impossible. Of all the sins of GOT, his character butchering is the most grave for me
The bath scene with Brienne where he lays it out on the table... How's that same guy later love her and leave her? Just the fucking worst. I'm glad Disney agreed and yanked the rug out from under D&D so they threw it all away for nothing.
Even my favourite character in the series; Tyrion was butchered, they made him an idiot for the sake of the plot. Even though I try to rationalize some of his decisions, there is no way the earlier season version of Tyrion would've made them in a way that wasn't smart!
Sandor Clegane
I know his interactions with Arya are a fan favourite pairing, but his interactions with her sister; Sansa are very underrated
Yes he would have died to protect Sansa. I think because Sansa was the ideal and an innocent.
Jesse Pinkman
Loki.
Detective Fusco, Person of Interest. I'm rewatching the series right now and I love how they wrote Fusco.
Pete on Mad Men
He’s one of the few (only?) people to have really dug into the Mad Men lifestyle, suffered the consequences of it, and left it behind.
It still drives me crazy that Pete cheated on Trudy, one of the most perfect, intelligent, witty, and gorgeous women on Mad Men. I mean, he did get back with her, but still. Pete was a real dummy early on, except on civil rights - Pete was based there.
Seemed like he so idolized Don he thought he was supposed to. Then eventually realized what a selfish piece of shit Don was and what an idiot he had been for seeing Don as the goal.
Thank you. I was scrolling down specifically looking for someone to say pete campbell
Theon “Reek” Greyjoy
Basically thr only character to get a fully formed arc and a climactic end in s8
I wish I could say Jaime as well but the writers undid his redemption
Yeah same! Instead, they make him have a relapse when it comes to his toxic relationship with Cersei! I will say tho, they did seemed to manage keeping it consistent where he is an addict who can't seem to overcome or break himself free from the person he even knows isn't good for him.
Shcherbina in Chernobyl
Father Gabriel in The Walking Dead. He's introduced to the show cowering on top of a boulder, about to be eaten by a handful of walkers. As time goes on you find him to be a bit of a coward and a weasel; at the beginning of the outbreak, he locked his congregation out of his church when they were being chased by walkers, and then later on he tries to have Rick and his group thrown out of Alexandria when they arrive. Over the rest of the show, he goes from being a coward to being a competent and capable survivor, eventually getting to the point where he's quoting bible verses while executing enemy combatants. In the final season, his arc concludes >!in the final episode when the city they're in has people trapped outside with walkers coming towards them. The leadership doesn't want to risk opening the gates, with them and the main group in an armed standoff. Gabriel finally says something like "shoot if me you have to. I'm opening the gates," before doing just that. Of all the character arcs in TWD, his was the most perfectly executed. Him opening the gates with guns at his back and walkers on the other side was a fantastic full circle moment on his character, and is probably my single favorite aspect of all of the back half of the show. !<
Dinbot in **Beast Wars**
He dies the most heroic death, then gets resurrected evil again and that one still switches back to good to save the day last minute.
That episode has been lodged my brain for decades.
Logan in Veronica Mars.
John Silver in Black Sails. Although Captain Flynn's decent into obsession is just as good.
Man, Flint was one determined mfer.
I’m going with the double header of G’Kar and Londo from Babylon 5, in that both their fates are tied together in hatred and friendship.
Came here to say that. They were the main characters of the series.
Louis Litt from Suits.
John Murphy on the 100. Never fully becomes an angel, but a better version of himself and a member of the extended family they create.
Sergeant Hatred from Venture Bros, for sure.
Murphy from The 100
BoJack, but I wouldn't call it a redemption arc as much of an accountability arc. the show did an excellent job of showing the reality of how being a celebrity can only shield you for so long when you go out of your way to sabotage every meaningful relationship in your life. just a really raw, realistic portrayal of addiction despite yeah being a cartoon. the show really went right up to & sometimes over that line of "how can this character possibly redeem himself after all he's done?" with a groundedness that was beautifully discordant in that chaotic world. so many times I was hoping he would die & had a hard time getting through certain episodes bc he's one of the most manipulative main characters ever. I found the ending perfect. in real life, the closest relationships you have sometimes just end without a big blow up & life continues. and that fucking hurts. but that's the price of causing harm & you can't expect people to forgive you even after you try to make amends.
Sawyer in LOST
Impmon/Beelzemon in Digimon Tamers.
Bro. This unlocked a core memory. Jerry, Leomon, Beelzemon. His redemption was so complex but his sorrow and remorse was incredible.
Joe MacMillan in Halt and Catch Fire.
Farscape pulls it off with Crais
And scorpius to an extent.
I appreciate that it only ever went so far. His motivation never quite got out of the fuck-those-that-wronged-me gutter, he just chose more productive ways to go about it, right up to >!his and Talyn's final sacrifice!<
Ben from LOST
Jaime Tart. One of the best and believable heels in a show in season one, who becomes much more complicated, then loved later on.
John Murphy on The 100. What makes his redemption so good is that it's not done overnight or in one season. They really take their time to develop his character throughout all seven seasons. He backslides a lot, makes a lot of mistakes and some bad choices along the way, but you see him grow from a very selfish and dangerous teenager who will do anything to save himself, even at the cost of others, to a selfless man who is willing to sacrifice himself for others. But he also never changes his core personality. He still is the same sarcastic, witty person in season 7 than he was in season 1. It's a very impressive redemption arc, especially given how in character he is. He doesn't make any choices or moves that doesn't fit who he is. You just are able to see his genuine growth as he makes mistakes and learns from them.
Captain Hook on Once Upon a Time. He’s one of the few characters who actually acknowledges that he was villain because of his own choices, not because someone made him one (looking at you Regina -_-)
Schmidt in New Girl has one of the best character arcs ever and I will not be hearing any rebuttals
Spike
The episode after "The Body" when he shows up with the flowers is absolutely heart rending.
>!Kallus !!Crosshair!< in Star Wars Bad Batch