Episode 81: The Redemption Arc

    We all love classic heroes and classic villains. 

   We enjoy morally upright heroes. The boy scouts, the Supermans, the people who fight evil bravely and save people with a smile on their face like All Might. The guys who save the world and get the girl and still make it home in time for breakfast.

  We also enjoy classically evil villains. The ones who are just simply downright evil, someone to have no doubt about when you feel against them. Someone who wants to take over the world or destroy it, or someone who just merely stands in the way of our beloved hero. 

    But you know what's truly epic? The bad guy who becomes a good guy. The bad guy who sees the errors of his ways, turns a new leaf, and makes efforts to change himself and show others that he has changed and to earn their trust and atone for his past actions.

   I love the redemption arc. It reminds me of the classic Christian idea that no one is too far gone. No one is too far gone from God's love, and no one is so far gone that they cannot change.

   I also just love character development and growth and nothing shows that more than a good redemption arc.

Negan

  I think the show did a better job with him than the comics, so I'm talking about show Negan here. He did despicable things to Rick's group, murdering beloved characters, oppressing and constantly stealing needed supplies, and just overall being a big bully. But, after losing the war, being in the slammer for several years helps clear his mind and makes him see the error of his ways. He was also changed by Carl's death and his bond with Judith. In seasons 9, 10, and 11, he makes so many efforts to prove himself. He saves Judith and Dog. He saves Lydia from bullies. He kills Alpha. He helps the community and even works with Maggie even though she makes it abundantly clear she wants him dead. He begs Maggie to kill him because he can't live with himself, and ends up apologizing to her for killing Glenn in the series finale. He even ends up with a wife and child.

Prince Zuko

   In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zuko spends the beginning going after Aang and trying to stop him and his group. He's mostly seeking honor and to prove himself in his father's, the Fire Lord's, eyes. He and the rest of the Fire Nation make themselves a roadblock and outright danger to the Gaang on numerous occasions. But, he comes to realize that he no longer wants to please his father, and that Ozai (his father) has been a bad influence and in fact needs to be stopped. So he betrays his father and defects to help Aang and his friends, and even teaches Aang firebending and his decision helps influence other members of the Fire Nation to turn a new leaf. The wisdom of his uncle Iron definitely helped too. Zuko ends the new Fire Lord after Ozai is defeated and leads the Fire Nation as a good, honest leader.

Johnny Lawrence 

   Throughout the original Karate Kid trilogy, Johnny serves as little more than a bully and counterpart to the hero, Daniel LaRusso. But, in the sequel series, Cobra Kai, is when Johnny really changes and gets his redemption. He becomes sort of a warped Mr. Miyagi himself when he mentors his own "karate kid" in Miguel Diaz. He gradually comes to realize that John Kreese and the original Cobra Kai hurt him and wants to change the organization for the better. He accepts some of Daniel's philosophy and changes his ways. He starts to prepare his relationship with his son, Robby, and becomes a good teacher. He settles down with Miguel's mom and even has a child with her. He and Daniel end up sort of friends who join forces to take down Terry Silver.

Loki (MCU)

   Loki was the main villain in both the first Thor movie and the first Avengers movie. A self-proclaimed god of mischief and trickery, Loki believed himself the rightful heir to Asgard's throne and would stop at nothing to hurt Thor and Odin and take what he thought was rightfully his. He even messed with Midgard (Earth) just to be evil and try to get some conquest under himself. But as the movies progress, Loki changes and his bond with Thor becomes more loving. He even ends up sacrificing himself in an attempt to stop Thanos, and now this new time-displaced version of himself is working with the TVA and I sincerely hope we get to see him reunite with Thor someday.

Nebula (MCU)

   She starts off in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film as a bitter assassin who is still aligned with her adoptive father, Thanos, no matter how much torture and mutilation he put her through. She goes after her adoptive sister, Gamora, because she is angry that growing up, Gamora always had to win when Thanos made them fight and Gamora always had to be better than her. Her direct opposition to Gamora makes her an enemy of the whole Guardians. However, in Vol. 2, her relationship with Gamora thaws a little, and through the events of Infinity War, Endgame, and the Holiday Special, by Vol. 3 she is a fully-fledged member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. She even helps Drax raise a new society of children on Knowhere.

Anyway, see you next week!