History Main / CharacterCheck

* ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'' plays this for comedy by having Issei perform a CharacterCheck on ''himself''. After [[TheGadfly Azazel]] compliments Issei on the maturity of a decision he just made, specifically noting the notorious ChivalrousPervert had left a woman's bust size out of it (ItMakesSenseInContext). Issei is started to realize he's right, and looks to the teammate who most reliably calls out his perversions. She has nothing to add. Issei's narration meanders off into existential angst for a moment, how could he forget the things of beauty he's repeatedly professed to live for, before deciding [[IResembleThatRemark there are more pressing issues right now]].

** After increasing MessiahCreep reached its full expression in Eminem's 2010 ''Recovery'' lead single "Not Afraid", resulting in something that [[CondemnedByHistory fell out of fashion hard]] and was now regarded as an AudienceAlienatingEra, Em's 2018 album ''Kamikaze'''s lead single "Fall" warns the audience they'll forget that he was the guy who did "Not Afraid", before returning to his 2000 ''The Marshall Mathers LP'' theme of [[TakeThatCritics savaging everyone who criticised him]]. While Em has retained many of the more socially conscious aspects of his mature personality (in particular, he pledged in 2018 to stop using a particular homophobic slur), his persona since ''Kamikaze'' has become somewhat meaner and edgier.

* ''WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck'' has two very clear personalities: the Screwball CloudCuckooLander - which is how he originally was during his debut and early years, followed by the {{Jerkass}} with a big case of SmallNameBigEgo and an intense greed streak.[[note]]Once in a while, there were also shorts where the two personalities are merged, most often by Robert [=McKimson=][[/note]] Nowadays however, the latter personality - the perpetual arrogant loser - is the one most people are familiar with thanks primarily to the efforts of ''Creator/ChuckJones.'' This has made the character one of the single greatest examples of {{Flanderization}} in all animation; which didn't go unnoticed, as every now and again the animators will let Daffy slip back into Screwball mode and completely upend the scenario he's in. These are often moments going so poorly, that going screwball would be the only way for him to make a comeback...or they'll let him go nuts just for a good laugh.
** Sometimes they will try and combine both personalities, as seen in ''Film/SpaceJam''. He was still pretty egotistical and snarky, but balanced out with a bunch of comical moments and outsmarting his opponents (while still taking considerable amounts of cartoon violence.)

** In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'', the usually kind and emphatic Sunset Shimmer will occasionally be [[HairTriggerTemper easily set-off]] and throw out insults and threats until calmed down, reminding the audience that she was the first BigBad of the side series before becoming its main heroine.

** After Slim Shady got (first) significantly more evil and twisted than usual, to the extent of TooBleakStoppedCaring, in ''Relapse'', and (second) significantly LighterAndSofter than usual, in line with Eminem's CreatorRecovery, in ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'', "SHADYXV" is a big homage to his old style - rapping over an [[LyricalDissonance inappropriately perky sample]], snorting coke, [[SelfHarm self-harming]], killing and assaulting people, [[TheDissTrack dissing]] celebrities who don't deserve it for no reason (from Music/{{Macklemore}} to Music/LindaRonstadt to Santa Claus), and even rapping a passage in the NerdyNasalness voice he used on ''Music/TheSlimShadyLP'' and had [[VocalEvolution long since stopped using]]. Slim's [[EraSpecificPersonality personality continued to move with the times after this song, though]].
** After increasing MessiahCreep that had really set in on Eminem's 2010 single "Not Afraid" led to something of an AudienceAlienatingEra, ''Kamikaze'''s lead single "Fall" warns the audience they'll forget that he was the guy who did "Not Afraid", before returning to his old ''The Marshall Mathers LP'' theme of [[TakeThatCritics savaging everyone who criticised him]]. While he's retained many of the more socially conscious aspects of his later personality (in particular, he pledged in 2018 to stop using a particular homophobic slur), his persona since ''Kamikaze'' has become somewhat meaner and edgier.

* After Music/{{Eminem}}'s Slim Shady character got (first) significantly more evil and twisted than usual, to the extent of TooBleakStoppedCaring, in ''Relapse'', and (second) significantly LighterAndSofter than usual, in line with Eminem's CreatorRecovery, in ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'', "SHADYXV" is a big homage to his old style - rapping over an [[LyricalDissonance inappropriately perky sample]], snorting coke, [[SelfHarm self-harming]], killing and assaulting people, [[TheDissTrack dissing]] celebrities who don't deserve it for no reason (from Music/{{Macklemore}} to Music/LindaRonstadt to Santa Claus), and even rapping a passage in the NerdyNasalness voice he used on ''Music/TheSlimShadyLP'' and had [[VocalEvolution long since stopped using]]. Slim's [[EraSpecificPersonality personality continued to move with the times after this song, though]].

** After literally decades of the Doctor being depicted as young(ish) and often romantic (especially since the series' return in 2005), the introduction of the twelfth Doctor was intended to be a return to the type of the character that led the show in the 1960s and early 1970s - older, wiser, grumpier, and less likely to fall in love with his companions. As the next item on this list shows, that last point ultimately didn't take.

* After Music/{{Eminem}}'s Slim Shady character got (first) significantly more evil and twisted than usual, to the extent of TooBleakStoppedCaring, in ''Relapse'', and (second) significantly LighterAndSofter than usual, in line with Eminem's CreatorRecovery, in ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'', a lot of Eminem's fans were delighted by "SHADYXV" in which he homages his old style - rapping over an [[LyricalDissonance inappropriately perky sample]], snorting coke, [[SelfHarm self-harming]], killing and assaulting people, [[TheDissTrack dissing]] celebrities who don't deserve it for no reason (from Music/LindaRonstadt to Santa Claus), and even rapping a passage in the NerdyNasalness voice he used on ''Music/TheSlimShadyLP'' and had [[VocalEvolution long since stopped using]].

* After Music/{{Eminem}}'s Slim Shady character got (first) significantly more evil and twisted than usual, to the extent of TooBleakStoppedCaring, in ''Relapse'', and (second) significantly LighterAndSofter than usual, in line with Eminem's CreatorRecovery, in ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'', a lot of Eminem's fans were delighted by "SHADYXV" in which he homages his old style - snorting coke, [[SelfHarm self-harming]], killing people, dissing celebrities who don't deserve it for no reason, and even rapping a passage in the squeaky voice he'd [[VocalEvolution long since stopped using]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' portrays ComicBook/TheWasp as energetic, witty, and caring, like in ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures''. However, one episode, "459", inexplicably reverts Wasp to her [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] personality. She desperately wishes her teammate ComicBook/AntMan would love her, and flirts with other male superheroes to make him jealous.

* Done to a few of the engines throughout the long run of ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'', despite {{Flanderization}} altering a lot of their personalities drastically, their old forms from the original novels and episodes do occasionally return. For example, Thomas, now more a KindheartedSimpleton, will occasionally act cheeky or pompous, while Toby, now altered into a LovableCoward, will show glimpses of his BigBrotherMentor persona.

* A series-wise one for ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' involves Gilgamesh, the wandering warrior who has managed to appear in multiple entries in the franchise (and yes, confirmed to be the same person) despite being in a series that runs heavily on [[ThematicSeries Thematic Sequels]] for the most part. When he first appears, he mostly behaves like a dragoon from the series, using a BladeOnAStick and doing powerful [[DeathFromAbove jumping attacks]]. He later takes on a MultiArmedAndDangerous form that functions like a WalkingArmory, with this form most famously falling for using [[JokeWeapon Excalipoor]]. This was [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]] into being obsessed with swords in particular in his second appearance, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', and "multi-armed guy who hunts for swords" became his schtick for a long time. However, later appearances have him going back to using dragoon tactics much more, and one of his "hunt for a weapon" sidequests was for a halberd.

** Q was introduced as a threatening god-like being who had judged humanity, found them wanting and had decided to exterminate the entire race. Almost immediately after his introduction, he was re-written as an omnipotent prankster, more akin to Loki than a vengeful Jehovah. Picard even stopped seeing him as a threat and more of a nuisance. But then there was the final episode, where Q was suddenly ready to destroy humanity again.

* Chelsea from ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'' TookALevelInDumbass as the series progressed. The sequel ''Series/RavensHome'' presents her as more in-line with her season 1 persona, if not even OlderAndWiser.

* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', Endeavor, the #2 Hero, not only is a unpleasant jerk, but was so obsessed with raising a child who could surpass All Might (the #1 Hero) that he married a woman with an ice quirk to breed a SuperiorSuccessor. This obsession led to him abusing his son and chosen successor Shoto by giving him TrainingFromHell, neglecting his other children [[spoiler:save for Toya, who is implied to have been killed in a training accident]], and abusing his wife, resulting in her having a breakdown and scarring Shoto's face. Eventually, Endeavor [[spoiler:becomes the #1 Hero after All Might's retirement, and, realizing his triumph is a hollow one]], seeks to become a better hero and father. That said, the narrative reminds the viewers of Endeavor's past misdeeds, and shows that he's still a jerk. For example, when Midoriya and Bakugo intern for Endeavor at Shoto's request, Endeavor says he only took them on because his son asked, and despite mentoring them well, coldly says their success or failure won't affect his hero work.

* A series-wise one for ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' involves Gilgamesh, the wandering warrior who has managed to appear in multiple entries in the franchise (and yes, confirmed to be the same person) despite being in a series that runs heavily on [[ThematicSeries Thematic Sequels]] for the most part. When he first appears, he mostly behaves like a dragoon from the series, using a BladeOnAStick and doing powerful [[DeathFromAbove jumping attacks]]. He later takes on a MultiArmedAndDangerous form that functions like a WalkingArmory, with this form most famously falling for using [[JokeWeapon Excalipoor]]. This was [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]] into being obsessed with swords in particular in his second appearance, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', and "multi-armed guy who hunts for swords" became his schtick for a long time. However, recent appearances have him going back to using dragoon tactics much more, and his most recent "hunt for a weapon" sidequest was for a halberd.

** Gwenpool herself has her first defeat when she goes up against ComicBook/{{MODOK}}, dismissing him as "that lame supervillain who looks like [[{{cephalothorax}} a giant floating head]]". Unfortunately for, whilst that's his MemeticLoser reception, the comics have always portrayed M.O.D.O.K dead seriously as a super-smart sadist who is always CrazyPrepared for opponents, wields PsychicPowers with extremely destructive capabilities, and actively revels in killing and torture.

** In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'', the usually kind and emphatic Sunset Shimmer will occasionally be [[HairTriggerTemper easily set-off]] and throw out insults and threats, reminding the audience that she was the first BigBad of the side series before becoming its main heroine.

** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E16TwentyEightPranksLater 28 Pranks Later]]" has received criticism for reverting Rainbow Dash back to her season 1 self.

* ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'' plays this for comedy by having Issei perform a CharacterCheck on ''himself''. After [[TheGadfly Azazel]] compliments Issei on the maturity of a decision he just made, specifically noting the notorious ChivalrousPervert had left a woman's bust size out of it (ItMakesSenseInContext). Issei is started to realize he's right, and looks to the teammate who most reliably call out his perversions. She has nothing to add. Issei's narration meanders off into existential angst for a moment, how could he forget the things of beauty he's repeatedly professed to live for, before deciding [[IResembleThatRemark there are more pressing issues right now]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E16TwentyEightPranksLater 28 Pranks Later]]" has received criticism for reverting Rainbow Dash back to her season 1 self.

* ''WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck'' has two very clear personalities: the [[ScrewySquirrel Screwball]] CloudCuckooLander - which is how he originally was during his debut and early years, followed by the {{Jerkass}} with a big case of SmallNameBigEgo and an intense greed streak.[[note]]Once in a while, there were also shorts where the two personalities are merged, most often by Robert [=McKimson=][[/note]] Nowadays however, the latter personality - the perpetual arrogant loser - is the one most people are familiar with thanks primarily to the efforts of ''Creator/ChuckJones.'' This has made the character one of the single greatest examples of {{Flanderization}} in all animation; which didn't go unnoticed, as every now and again the animators will let Daffy slip back into Screwball mode and completely upend the scenario he's in. These are often moments going so poorly, that going screwball would be the only way for him to make a comeback...or they'll let him go nuts just for a good laugh.

** The TARDIS started out broken; completely unsteerable to the point where the Doctor can never leave a place and time that he's not completely done with, because he can never return. During the Fourth Doctor's tenure, he switched to using the "secondary control room", which allowed him to steer the TARDIS for the first time ([[FanWank onscreen, anyway]]), although due to his personality he often wouldn't and even installed a "Randomiser" to make control of it impossible again. The new series establishes right from the very beginning that the Doctor knows how to fly his TARDIS now, showing it capable of maneuvers stated to be completely impossible for most of the Classic Doctors (the earliest example being the Ninth Doctor's AndAnotherThing rematerialization in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose Rose]]"), but every so often a story will start with the Doctor mis-steering the TARDIS and ending up somewhere unwanted, such as "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E7TheIdiotsLantern The Idiot's Lantern]]" ('50s Britain and not '50s America), "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw Tooth and Claw]]" (the Victorian era rather than the '70s), and completely {{Deconstructed}} in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E4AliensOfLondon Aliens of London]]" (a year after Rose left instead of a few hours).
*** This is lampshaded during the Eleventh Doctor's tenure; the TARDIS briefly gains the ability to talk, and at one point the Doctor accuses her of never taking him where he wanted to go. She retorts that she always took him where he ''needed'' to go.

* Da Orks in ''{{TabletopGame/Warhammer40000}}'' have a gestalt psychic field that allows them to impose ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve onto the material universe, mostly for the purpose of making their ramshackle technology actually ''work''. Occasionally a writer would try to make an Ork pick up a tree branch that he thought looked like a gun, and start magically firing bullets with it. These days this doesn't happen so much, partly by clarifying that [[BookDumb Orks aren't quite that stupid]], and partly by establishing that most if not all Ork technology do work in human hands, they just work '''better''' in an Ork's hands.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Star Wars|Expanded Universe}} Corellian Trilogy'', the group travels for a time with an astromech that can speak Basic. After being damaged, the droid becomes exceedingly paranoid and aggressive; when Anakin [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness points out that "Q9 is acting funny"]], the droid runs diagnostics to get back to normal.

* During Team Rocket's phase as more dangerous, serious minded villains in the ''Best Wishes!'' arc of the ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'' anime, they still had odd NotSoAboveItAll moments as a reminder this was the bumbling Team Rocket trio. ''XY'' afterwards reverses it around. They're back to being buffoonish, but still have several moments of being genuinely sinister and cold-blooded.