History EarnYourHappyEnding / Film

* ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'': After losing her wings due to her betrayal by her childhood friend King Stefan, Maleficent curses Stefan's daughter Aurora to fall into a "sleep like death" on her [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday sixteenth birthday]], and can only be awakened with True Love's Kiss (a CurseEscapeClause Maleficent adds out of spite, as Stefan's betrayal made her lose her belief in true love). As Aurora grows into her teens, Maleficent comes to care for her, and ultimately decides to revoke the curse she placed on her. Unfortunately, the curse cannot be revoked, and once Aurora realizes who Maleficent is and what role she played in the former's infant years, she becomes heartbroken, and runs back to her father, wherein the ''curse itself'' possesses her and causes her to fall into her death sleep. Maleficent pursues Aurora, bringing Prince Phillip (who Aurora has feelings for) and knowing full well that, should she enter Stefan's castle, she may not come out alive. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, Phillip and Aurora's feelings for each other, while sweet, are not strong enough to free the latter. When Phillip leaves, Maleficent tells an unconscious Aurora how she regrets hurting someone she grew to love, and kisses her on the forehead. ''This'' kiss, however, is the True Love's Kiss that frees Aurora from her curse, and the two prepare to run back to the Faerie Moors, only to be cornered and separated by Stefan's knights. Running to safety, however, allows Aurora to find Maleficent's wings and free them, allowing the fairy to fight back against the man who betrayed her, and ultimately come out as the victor. The film's ending shows Maleficent crowning Aurora Queen of both humans and fairies, hoping to end the FantasticRacism between the two races. Able to fly once more, Maleficent takes to the skies, content for the first time in a long while; back on the ground, Aurora reunites with Phillip, implying that the two [[MaybeEverAfter may someday be together as a couple]].]]

* ''BittersweetEnding/TheDCU''
* ''BittersweetEnding/MarvelUniverse''

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAssaultOnArkham'', despite being kidnapped by Amanda Waller and forced to make a black-ops raid on Arkham with a bunch of criminal lunatics, [[spoiler: which was only intended to be a decoy so that another member of the team could murder the Riddler,]] Deadshot gets out alive, unharmed and manages to rescue his daughter, whom Waller was holding hostage to blackmail him into working for her. [[spoiler: And, in our final shot of the film, he gets a chance to murder Waller for everything she put him through... he ''is'' a VillainProtagonist, after all.]]

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'':
** ''Film/BatmanBegins'': Bruce loses his parents and all sense of purpose in his life other than vengeance against his parents' murder, Joe Chill, then loses that purpose when Joe Chill is murdered by a hitwoman for the Gotham mob. Then Bruce runs away from Gotham to try to understand the darker aspects of life and to find a way to overcome them. Bruce is then presumed dead and Gotham has to suffer for years through an economic depression as well as a corrupt legal system where almost every cop is a CorruptCop, the mafia rules the city and crimes like murder are extremely common. As Gotham loses hope, Bruce is trained by [[EvilMentor Henri Ducard]], a KnightTemplar who helps Bruce regain hope and find purpose in fighting crime...but Bruce has to betray and leave Ducard to save when he finds out Ducard wants to destroy places filled with crime (like Gotham). Bruce returns to Gotham as Franchise/{{Batman}}, and fights to give the city hope against both normal criminals and [[PsychoPsychologist Dr. Jonathan Crane]]...who gives Ducard a fear toxin that Ducard plans to use to destroy the city. Batman then must overcome both his fears and the returning Ducard (AKA Ra's al Ghul) and the League of Shadows to save his city. After much struggle, with Wayne Manor being burnt down and then some of Gotham's slums being driven insane, Batman saves the day and gives Gotham hope for the first time in years. To emphasize this, the Bat-signal triumphantly shines in the night for the first time during the final scene.
** ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': Yes, there are criminals who will do almost anything for money, and unapologetic evil that cannot be bargained with, and the KnightInShiningArmor can [[FallenHero fall]], hard. But in the end, Franchise/{{Batman}} is able to apprehend ComicBook/TheJoker without [[HeWhoFightsMonsters becoming the monster]] Joker wants him to be. And the citizens of Gotham pass Joker's "social experiment" (if only barely) by not turning on each other like he predicted.
** At the end of the final movie in the trilogy, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', Bruce Wayne seems to have finally put his past behind him. He fakes his death -- but leaves subtle (or not-so-subtle for some) clues of his survival to his {{Secret Keeper}}s (giving them their own happy ending rather than leaving them in mourning) -- and retires with Selina Kyle who, after helping Bruce save Gotham, has her own criminal past erased to allow her a fresh start as well.
* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
** In ''Film/ManOfSteel'', while coming from a loving home, [[Comicbook/{{Superman}} Clark]] has spent most of his life ostracized, WalkingTheEarth never daring to get close to anyone for fear of them learning his secret, but [[SamaritanSyndrome unable to stop using his powers to help people]], causing him to always leave. Eventually he finds some answers about his past in a crashed Kryptonian ship, but that leads to [[BigBad General Zod]] and his crew arriving on Earth, who want Clark to help them KillAllHumans so they can create a new Krypton, and attempt to kill him when he refuses. Clark is forced to reveal himself to the world to save it, and ultimately [[spoiler: is [[ShootTheDog forced]] to [[NeckSnap kill]] Zod]]. However, he finds people that accept him for who he is, finds his true calling as Superman, and gets a permanent job as an IntrepidReporter for the Daily Planet.
** In ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'', several members of the Squad earn a (somewhat) happy ending. While still incarcerated, the rewards they get for saving the world go a long way to making their lives much better, from [[spoiler: ComicBook/{{Deadshot}} finally getting to spend time with his [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes daughter]]]] to little things like [[spoiler: Killer Croc getting a HDTV, and [[ComicBook/HarleyQuinn Harley]] an espresso machine]]. Subverted with [[spoiler: Captain Boomerang, who mouths off to Waller, and ends up in solitary confinement]] ''worse'' off than he started.
** ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'': After all the strife, conflict and loss throughout ''Film/ManOfSteel'', ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' and this film, our heroes not only emerge victorious over the threat of Apokolips (for now at least) but also as better, stronger individuals.

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** A VillainProtagonist example would have to be Thanos from ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' where his ultimate goal is to gather the Infinity Stones to halve the universal population so they won't collapse from an OverpopulationCrisis like his own planet. He, in no short order suffered several setbacks from his minions, has two of his "Children" rebel against him while the rest of his loyal "Children" dies while having to tearfully sacrifice his beloved daughter, faced several opposition from the heroes while nearly getting defeated on two occasions but through his sheer willpower, he successfully gathered all 6 Stones and wiped out half of all the universe. By the end of the movie, Thanos retires to a quiet farmland, content as he watch the sun rise on a grateful universe.
** A more traditional example occurs to [[spoiler: Iron Man, Captain America, Falcon, Thor, Hulk and Ant-Man]] in ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. [[spoiler: Iron Man dies snapping Thanos and his forces, but not before spending the last five years of his life with Pepper and his daughter, Morgan, and finally being at eternal peace after laying his life down the line for the sake of the universe. Captain America not only is allowed to return to the 1940s to be with Peggy Carter, but when he turned old and gray, he passes his mantle to Falcon, who was brought back from the dead during the film. Thor finally has a new purpose in his life with the Guardians of the Galaxy after spending perhaps a decade of constant trauma and shutting himself in for 5 years as a result. Bruce Banner makes his peace with the Hulk and the two become merged, Bruce's mind with Hulk's Body, and is widely beloved by the world, it is probably the happiest we have ever seen him. Also, Ant-Man was trapped in the Quantum Realm with Wasp, Janet and Hank dead in ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp''. He had not only gotten free from the Quantum Realm, but he helped bring Wasp, Janet and Hank back from the dead, as well as getting to be with his daughter, again.]]
** Almost every member of the Guardians of the Galaxy gets this in in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol3'''s conclusion.
*** Star-Lord is finally at peace with the original Gamora's death before giving up the mantle as captain to Rocket, and reuniting with his long-lost grandfather who happily welcomes him back in his life.
*** Drax the Destroyer gets a second chance at becoming a father by adopting the Star Children that he rescues from the High Evolutionary's ship. Even Nebula implicitly lampshades this.
----> '''Nebula''': You weren't born to be a destroyer. You were born to be a ''dad.''
*** Speaking of Nebula, she finally has a purpose in life leading the people of Knowhere after spending years of abuse from Thanos. The scene where she dances alongside the new denizens of the planet clearly shows her at her happiest and fully at peace from her past.
*** Mantis, after spending years being submissive to others (considering her tragic past as Ego's ward), decides to go out on her own adventure as a means of self-discovery. It really marks the peak of her CharacterDevelopment as a much more confident being compared to her socially insecure personality during her ''Vol. 2'' introduction.
*** The alternate Gamora reunites with the Ravagers and ends on good terms with the Guardians despite begrudgingly joining them on their mission to save Rocket. This marks the conclusion of Gamora's arc throughout the entirety of the MCU.
*** More minor members of the Guardians get their happy ending as well. Kraglin firmly establishes himself as Yondu's successor after fully mastering the Yaka Arrow, Cosmo is referred to as a "good dog" after proving herself in the final battle against the High Evolutionary's forces, Adam Warlock finds a new family (and a second chance) with the Guardians after nearly killing Rocket and witnessing the death of his mother, Blurp also finds family with the Guardians, and so does Phylla after spending her childhood under the imprisonment and abuse of the High Evolutionary.
*** But nobody. ''Nobody'' has it better than Rocket Raccoon. And this is after everything he went through: the abuse from the High Evolutionary, his childhood friends murdered by his psychopath of a master, joining the Guardians and witnessing some of his new friends die -- particularly the original Groot and the rest snapped by Thanos (sans Nebula), joining the Avengers for the sake of saving his friends, and confronting the High Evolutionary himself after nearly being killed by Adam Warlock. He not only accepts the fact that he is an empowered raccoon, he avenges his childhood friends after he and the Guardians defeat the High Evolutionary, and finds a new purpose as the captain of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''
** ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': [[spoiler:After nearly drowning, Logan wakes up in the Sentinel-averted future to find all the X-Men and children at Xavier's school. Also, this is the first film to give Wolverine a perfect happy ending. He's a teacher!]]
** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Professor X is [[spoiler:savagely victimized by En Sabah Nur. After his mind, body and soul are violated, and he nearly dies twice because of it--on the astral plane, Xavier is not only drenched in his own blood, but he's also lying in a pool of it]]--his terror and misery are rewarded with a surrogate family which is larger than what he had in the original trilogy. Raven returns home as his second-in-command, plus Quicksilver and Nightcrawler are now officially part of the X-Men, which they never were in the original timeline. [[spoiler:Charles and Erik reconcile much earlier, even though the latter decides not to stay at the school. The Professor succeeds in preventing Jean Grey from developing a SuperpoweredEvilSide, and thus ensures that she, Cyclops, himself and many others won't die because of the Phoenix.]]

* This is one of the big draws of ''Film/TheCrow'', other than seeing Brandon Lee give his final performance and watching the titular character carry out his RoaringRampageOfRevenge.

* The 2013 Creator/{{CBC}} movie ''Film/{{Jack|2013}}'', about [[CanadaEh Canadian]] [[UsefulNotes/CanadianPolitics politician]] Jack Layton, shows him fighting the uphill battle throughout his political career against powerful rivals, and dismissiveness from those who figured he never had a chance; eventually, though, he made it to opposition leader status before he died. Granted, it's not an ''entirely'' happy ending, but it's uplifting compared to most of the movie.

* ''Ernie Biscuit'', in contrast to Adam Elliot's previous works which were [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet]] at best (''Uncle'', ''Cousin'', ''WesternAnimation/HarvieKrumpet'', ''WesternAnimation/MaryAndMax'') and a [[DownerEnding downer]] at worst (''Brother''), has things go well for the titular protagonist despite everything. Although not unscathed, his pet duck Edith manages to save the both of them by pushing [[BitchInSheepsClothing Tiny]] into his meat grinder, and Ernie is able to call Angelina which saves her from committing suicide via ElectrifiedBathtub. Ernie and Angelina are successful in their trip to Venice, and Edith is given a wittled prosthetic leg thanks to Angelina.

* Andy Barclay, the main protagonist of the first three ''Film/ChildsPlay'' movie. He's terrorized by a killer doll who wants to take over his body. His mother is put in a mental institution because of what she told the cops about Chucky. He lives in various foster homes, and at the end of the third movie he's taken away by the police for questioning about Chucky's latest killing spree. At the end of ''Film/CurseOfChucky'', we see him on the phone with his mom, apparently released and dating Mike, a cop who helped them out in the first film. Pictures show that he's still with his LoveInterest from the third movie. And when [[spoiler: Chucky has himself delivered to Andy's house, Andy is waiting for him with a shotgun]]. Sadly averted with the latest movie, ''Film/CultOfChucky'' where things have turned bad for Andy and [[spoiler: Chucky [[TheBadGuyWins finally gains back a human body alongside Tiffany and everyone who opposed him are either dead, broken or, in one character's case, possessed by Chucky himself]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolfwalkers}}'' is the only movie in Creator/CartoonSaloon's ''WesternAnimation/IrishFolkloreTrilogy'' that ''doesn't'' have an overt BittersweetEnding. [[spoiler:Despite the historical changes the story introduced, the creators intended a touch of melancholy at the end since they feel that the displaced wolves will still one day disappear from Ireland entirely (just as [[ForegoneConclusion they did in real life]]). However, the ending is mostly hopeful for the main characters after all the hardships they've been through. The Lord Protector is dead, his forces are routed and the Wolfwalkers still have each other, setting out with the wolf pack to find a new home. It's implied Bill and Moll end up together and Robyn and Mebh are last seen racing together as wolves in the daylight, happy and free to be themselves.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolfwalkers}}'' is the only movie in Creator/CartoonSaloon's Irish folklore trilogy that ''doesn't'' have an overt BittersweetEnding. [[spoiler:Despite the historical changes the story introduced, the creators intended a touch of melancholy at the end since they feel that the displaced wolves will still one day disappear from Ireland entirely (just as [[ForegoneConclusion they did in real life]]). However, the ending is mostly hopeful for the main characters after all the hardships they've been through. The Lord Protector is dead, his forces are routed and the Wolfwalkers still have each other, setting out with the wolf pack to find a new home. It's implied Bill and Moll end up together and Robyn and Mebh are last seen racing together as wolves in the daylight, happy and free to be themselves.]]

* ''Film/JasonsLyric'': The main character, Jason, has gone through a lot since childhood; growing up in a violent ghetto neighborhood, witnessing his used-to-be-loving father turned abusive toward them, especially his mother, that he [[spoiler:''must'' killed him.]] As an adult, he spends his youth looking out for his family, particularly [[AllTakeAndNoGive putting up with]] his troubled younger brother, Joshua. So is [[LoveInterest Lyric]]; growing up with a gangster older brother, Alonzo "A-1", and [[InvisibleParents no parents]] prompting her to dream of an escape as she longs a peaceful life. Ultimately, when Joshua (accidentally) shoots Lyric out of jealousy in the climax, Jason [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere could finally bring himself to turn his back on his brother and chooses to rather save her]], after feeling torn between his love for his family or his girlfriend for so long. In the end, after earning his mom's blessing for his wish to be together with Lyric and leaves his past behind, Jason and Lyric eventually gain their mutual wish; riding on a bus together to escape town and start a new life .

*** But nobody. ''Nobody'' has it better than Rocket Raccoon.

* A VillainProtagonist example would have to be Thanos from ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' where his ultimate goal is to gather the Infinity Stones to halve the universal population so they won't collapse from an OverpopulationCrisis like his own planet. He, in no short order suffered several setbacks from his minions, has two of his "Children" rebel against him while the rest of his loyal "Children" dies while having to tearfully sacrifice his beloved daughter, faced several opposition from the heroes while nearly getting defeated on two occasions but through his sheer willpower, he successfully gathered all 6 Stones and wiped out half of all the universe. By the end of the movie, Thanos retires to a quiet farmland, content as he watch the sun rise on a grateful universe.
** A more traditional example occurs to [[spoiler: Captain America, Falcon, Hulk and Ant-Man]] in ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. [[spoiler: Captain America not only is allowed to return to the 1940s to be with Peggy Carter, but when he turned old and gray, he passes his mantle to Falcon, who was brought back from the dead during the film. Bruce Banner makes his peace with the Hulk and the two become merged, Bruce's mind with Hulk's Body, and is widely beloved by the world, it is probably the happiest we have ever seen him. Also, Ant-Man was trapped in the Quantum Realm with Wasp, Janet and Hank dead in ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp''. He had not only gotten free from the Quantum Realm, but he helped bring Wasp, Janet and Hank back from the dead, as well as getting to be with his daughter, again.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' At the start of the movie, Hiccup is the village pariah because he's scrawny and usually messes everything up, with his father being openly ashamed of him and his peers (except Astrid and Fishlegs) constantly mocking him, all resulting in him having poor self-esteem. He finally finds a friend in Toothless and demonstrate that humans and dragons can co-exist, earning respect and getting together with his crush Astrid. By the third movie, he has become chief and after defeating the BigBad marries Astrid. The epilogue shows they had two children during the TimeSkip.

* ''Film/JaggedMind'': Billie manages to undo all the harm Alex did with Rose's help. She cuts off both her and Christine after this, opening herself to finding someone better in the future.
* ‘’Film/JasonsLyric'': The main character, Jason, has gone through a lot since childhood; growing up in a violent ghetto neighborhood, witnessing his used-to-be-loving father turned abusive toward them, especially his mother, that he [[spoiler:''must'' killed him.]] As an adult, he spends his youth looking out for his family, particularly [[AllTakeAndNoGive putting up with]] his troubled younger brother, Joshua. So is [[LoveInterest Lyric]]; growing up with a gangster older brother, Alonzo "A-1", and [[InvisibleParents no parents]] prompting her to dream of an escape as she longs a peaceful life. Ultimately, when Joshua (accidentally) shoots Lyric out of jealousy in the climax, Jason [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere could finally bring himself to turn his back on his brother and chooses to rather save her]], after feeling torn between his love for his family or his girlfriend for so long. In the end, after earning his mom's blessing for his wish to be together with Lyric and leaves his past behind, Jason and Lyric eventually gain their mutual wish; riding on a bus together to escape town and start a new life .

* ''Film/{{EdgeOfDarkness1943}}'': It certainly came at a high cost as the people of Trollness took a lot of casualties. But not only do they wipe out the German garrison, but Gunnar, Karen, and Martin all survive and take to the mountains to fight as guerillas.

* ''Film/{{EdgeOfDarkness|1943}}'': It certainly came at a high cost as the people of Trollness took a lot of casualties. But not only do they wipe out the German garrison, but Gunnar, Karen, and Martin all survive and take to the mountains to fight as guerillas.

* ''Film/{{EdgeOfDarkness}}'': It certainly came at a high cost as the people of Trollness took a lot of casualties. But not only do they wipe out the German garrison, but Gunnar, Karen, and Martin all survive and take to the mountains to fight as guerillas.

* ''Film/{{EdgeOfDarkness|1943}}'': It certainly came at a high cost as the people of Trollness took a lot of casualties. But not only do they wipe out the German garrison, but Gunnar, Karen, and Martin all survive and take to the mountains to fight as guerillas.

* ''Film/EdgeOfDarkness|1943'': It certainly came at a high cost as the people of Trollness took a lot of casualties. But not only do they wipe out the German garrison, but Gunnar, Karen, and Martin all survive and take to the mountains to fight as guerillas.

* ''Film/EdgeOfDarkness: It certainly came at a high cost as the people of Trollness took a lot of casualties. But not only do they wipe out the German garrison, but Gunnar, Karen, and Martin all survive and take to the mountains to fight as guerillas.