History Main / DynamicCharacter

* Midna from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' starts out very cruel and sadistic, viewing [[TheHero Link]] as nothing more than a pawn she can use to reclaim the leadership of the Twilight Realm and not caring about Hyrule. By the end of the game, [[spoiler:she TookALevelInKindness, is implied to have a crush on Link, and is determined to save both worlds, [[HeroicSacrifice even being willing to sacrifice her life for Link and Zelda.]]

* Gru from the ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'' franchise goes from a straight up {{jerkass}} with a few PetTheDog moments to someone with more open Heart of Gold moments with only a few jerky tendencies.

** On the other hand, Rarity hasn't changed much, aside from learning to treasure her friends, sister, and [[EmbarrassingNickname Spikey-Wikey]], although she was arguably the most mature to start with. And Pinkie Pie is... well, [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} still]] [[NoFourthWall Pinkie]] [[RealityWarper Pie]].

** Team 7's leader, Kakashi Hatake, got some development before the series started. As a young ninja, Kakashi was an ArrogantKungFuGuy who believed that fulfilling the mission took priority over anything, including saving a comrade's life. After losing one of his teammates, he adopted the motto that "while those who break the rules a re scum, those who abandon their friends are worst than scum".

* In ''Film/TheFly1986'', Seth Brundle is an {{Adorkable}} subversion of the MadScientist who lives alone and isolated by choice to work on a teleportation project, and has social skills that are passable at best. He is also lonely, however, and as the film begins is trying to woo a beautiful journalist at a press event by offering to show her his work. She takes an interest in it, and from there in him, and they begin a romantic relationship that makes her his muse...which opens him up to misguided jealousy when her ex-lover/editor attempts to interfere with it. The result is that he drunkenly teleports himself and unknowingly genetically splices himself with a fly. In the days that follow he's amazed and excited by his new strength and stamina -- believing teleportation purified him -- and becomes DrunkWithPower and quick to anger. As his SlowTransformation becomes BodyHorror he realizes what's actually happening to him, loses the ego, and becomes snarky, melancholy, desperate, and scared as he faces the prospect of losing his body to a hideous new form ''and'' his mind to the selfish impulses of an insect, even as he develops fascination with the actual process. He tries to send his faithful lover away so he won't hurt her, but when he learns she's pregnant with his child and does not intend to keep it, [[spoiler: his rage and heartache leads him to kidnap her and attempt Romantic Fusion with her and the fetus; he fails ''hard'']], leading to a DownerEnding.

* [[DefrostingIceKing Neku Sakuraba]] from ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' is a very good example of this, starting off as very closed minded and cynical individual who saw no value in connecting with others and the world around him before learning to ultimately to accept other people and the values of connections thanks to his experiences in the Reaper’s Game and even saves Shibuya thanks to his growing idealism and willingness to change for the better.

* Neku from ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' learns how to expand his horizons and reach out to other people.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* Zuko has quite the character arc throughout ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. He began as a bitter and angry WellDoneSonGuy. After a long period in the HeelFaceRevolvingDoor, he realized he could earn his own honor. He became more friendly, peaceful and wise.

* Hank Pym of ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' begins the series as the optimistic Ant-Man who truly believes that science can make the world a better place and that conflict can and should be resolved with words rather than violence. His experiences with the Avengers pushes his beliefs to their breaking point, ultimately he ends the series as the much more cynical and hot-headed Yellowjacket.
* The main characters of ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'' each go through their own development: [=BoJack=] slowly, but steadily opens up about his problems, Todd tries to make something of himself, learns to take more risks as opposed to being a shut-in roommate, and [[spoiler: comes to terms with his {{Asexuality}}]], Princess Carolyn becomes more practical and savvy, while using her sharpened business skills to help give [=BoJack=] get his career going, Mr. Peanutbutter's underlying darker outlook becomes more apparent, and Diane starts to come out of her meeker shell.
* Eric the Cavalier in the ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'' cartoon starts out being the most cowardly, selfish member of the group, and ultimately becomes the one most likely to charge into the enemy to protect his friends.

** Wan, the first Avatar, went from being a petty but well meaning thief to the enduring BigGood of the whole world.

** [[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast The Beast]] (thanks to Belle's influence) transforms from a haughty, ill-tempered SpoiledBrat to a mature, agreeable, and gentle being.
** [[Disney/{{Mulan}} Mulan]] becomes a more assertive and confident young woman.
** [[Disney/BigHero6 Hiro]] becomes wise, and mature, and inspirational -- a sharp contrast to the mischievous and lazy person he was in the beginning.
** ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'':

** Killua goes through a transformation of his own, from a ruthless child assassin to someone more merciful and level-headed, and also goes from being cowardly yet brave, to just plain brave. Interestingly enough, his develop is the opposite of Gon's; Killua becomes more heroic as Gon becomes more ''anti''-heroic.

Mind you, this isn't always the case, nor is its absence [[TropesAreNotBad bad]]. Contrast the StaticCharacter who begins and ends much the same as they began a story. Maybe they've learned something, but it doesn't change how they act.

* While every character becomes this at some point or another throughout the ''Fanfic/FuzzboyTotalPokemonSeries'', [[JerkassFacade Axel Droog]] undergoes arguably ''the'' most CharacterDevelopment of any ''character'' across the entire series. Beginning ''Total Xtreme Action'' as a {{Jerkass}} intentionally acting cruel and ruthless in order to attract women, Droog went on to actually form a crush on and begin a relationship with Alia, who he slowly revealed a softer and slightly kinder side to. Through this, he eventually evolved twice over the season, and actually began to show signs of actually being a good person underneath that hard exterior of his through his interactions with Alia, forming a close enough bond with her that he actually begins to sabotage his own game by acting intentionally like an asshole towards the others so they'd take him out over her...But upon her leaving anyways, he is absolutely ''furious''. Swearing revenge against them, Droog becomes the TokenEvilTeammate of the Great Grovyles and of the cast as a whole, intentionally acting like a complete asshole towards the others and actively harassing them due to his own hatred. This continues...Until he learns the unfortunate truth that Alia had only began dating him in the first place in order to piss off her parents, causing him to go through a mental breakdown of sorts that puts him into a depression of sorts, as he only grew more bitter towards those around him. Continuing to act like an unlikable asshole, he ultimately insults Kanaya to a point of throwing her into a bit of emotional insanity, which finally makes him realize his actions. Deciding he doesn't want to become a bad person, Droog attempts to crawl out of what he believes to be an inescapable fate several times, each time ending with him believing he was incapable of becoming a good person. However, upon going through another breakdown, he finally realizes with some help from Indigo that he doesn't have to be the bad guy, and that more importantly...He doesn't want to. Pulling a BigDamnHeroes moment, he ultimately comes back to save everyone from Ronoc's attack. While he may have begun the story as an unlikable prick, he ultimately proved that in the end that even the worst people can change for the better.

* Compare all the main characters in ''Literature/{{GONE}}'' from their first appearance to their last appearance. They will almost definitely- for better or worse- be completely different people. This can both serve as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming (in the cases of Orc, Astrid and Quinn) or can be a TearJerker (see Diana, Caine, Hunter, etc).

*** Gideon Grey starts off as a nasty bully as a child who went so far as to [[WouldHitAGirl beat up Judy Hopps and claw her left cheek]] during the AMinorKidroduction. By the time we encounter him again in the third act, he as become a ReformedBully that has grown into a kind, good-natured, pastry chief as an adult.

* Third ComicBook/{{Robin}} Timothy Drake starts out as an optimistic fan of Batman and both Robins capable of occasionally following them around and snapping pictures without being noticed and develops into an accomplished if jaded crime fighter in his own right who has led teams of superheroes, is running his own information network and is expected to surpass Bruce as the world’s greatest detective and has lost not just two but three parents.

-->-- '''WebAnimation/BonusStage'''

People change; it's a fact of life if not nature. However, change can be gradual, and people may keep the core of their character intact for much if not all of their life, just as a traumatic experience may well abruptly change someone completely. Characters reflect that. When a character finishes a story with a different outlook or personality from when they started, they are called a DynamicCharacter. It doesn't matter whether they had a [[RoundCharacter Deep and Nuanced personality]] or started life as a [[FlatCharacter cardboard cutout]], the character changes in either a subtle or overt way. We call this CharacterDevelopment.

* Hank Pym of ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' begins the series as the optimistic Ant-Man who truly believes that science can make the world a better place and that conflict can and should be resolved through with words rather than violence. His experiences with the Avengers pushes his beliefs to their breaking point, ultimately he ends the series as the much more cynical and hot-headed Yellowjacket.

* Eric the Cavalier in the ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'' cartoon goes from the most cowardly, selfish member of the group, to the one most likely to charge into the enemy to protect his friends.