History Main / LonerTurnedFriend

* The Ice King from ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' was a bit of a loner due to him being ruler of Ice Kingdom, which is uninhabited despite having semi-sapient penguins and ice creatures to keep himself company. In fact, early seasons have him as the main antagonist before bigger, more credible threats appear. He soon warms up when he makes friends with Finn and Jake, especially after they learn of his tragic, tortured origins.
* Prince Zuko from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. He once made a statement to Jet that being on your own isn't always the right path. He has also undergone a HeelFaceTurn and, although he wasn't [[ReformedButRejected widely accepted]] at first, he became a loyal ally and friend of Team Avatar.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Somewhat downplayed. At the start, [[Characters/MonsterVerseMarkRussell Mark Russell]] has isolated himself from everyone after his son's death five years ago, only to get recruited by [[TheTeam Monarch's top brass]] (whom include his former colleagues from before his son's death as well as several new faces). At first, he's an obnoxious blowhard who makes his opinionated and biased view on the Monarch brass's [[TheXenophile way of managing the Titans]] clear (yet he somehow makes Sam Coleman want to befriend him like metal being drawn to a magnet), but he mellows later on. In ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', the Monarch executives Mark previously worked with are completely absent from both the film and novelized versions of the story.

** Blaze from the ''VideoGame/SonicRushSeries'' is another example. It took the first game for her to learn how to accept help from others and make friends. Although she's still a loner who has to guard the Sol Emeralds in her alternate dimension, she still assists Sonic and the gang.

** Dorulumon from ''Anime/DigimonFusion'' started as a lone [[IncrediblyLamePun wolf]] and a former member of the Bagra Army. At first, he refused to be a part of the Xros Heart, but as soon as Tactimon tells him about his past, he changed his mind.

* From ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', Sagara Sousuke was a loner avoiding others due to following business-related orders, but this didn't stop him from ending up with a group of TrueCompanions.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Somewhat downplayed. At the start, [[Characters/MonsterVerseFamilies Mark Russell]] has isolated himself from everyone after his son's death five years ago, only to get recruited by [[TheTeam Monarch's top brass]] (whom include his former colleagues from before his son's death as well as several new faces). At first, he's an obnoxious blowhard who makes his opinionated and biased view on the Monarch brass's [[TheXenophile way of managing the Titans]] clear (yet he somehow makes Sam Coleman want to befriend him like metal being drawn to a magnet), but he mellows later on. In ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', the Monarch executives Mark previously worked with are completely absent from both the film and novelized versions of the story.

* Knuckles from the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series lives a solitary life born with a task to guard the Master Emerald in Angel Island, but became a trusted ally and [[FriendlyRivalry friendly rival]] to Sonic.

* Mitchell from ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' was previously a ShrinkingViolet loner, who wanted to join Jet's clique but didn't know how to fit in. However, once he sings with them in the pageant in "Holidays in Boxwood Terrace", he discovers in real time that he is being invited in. Sydney and Mindy reassure him that he can always be a part of whatever the clique is doing. So Mitchell is technically now part of Jet's circle of friends.

* ''Film/TheHangover'': Alan, the {{Cloudcuckoolander}} {{Man Child}} of the group, initially considered himself this.

** Mikagami Tokiya from ''Manga/FlameOfRecca'' begins as a revenge-driven loner with a cold attitude towards everyone except Yanagi, who was the reason he warmed up a bit, and he later became an official member of Team Hokage.
** After the death of her grandfather, Yue Ayase of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' isolated herself from others and even blew off (and insulted) Haruna, Konoka, and Nodoka when they suggested that Yue be their friend. After Nodoka tells her that "Anyone who likes books cannot be a bad person", Yue changes her mind and decides to be their friend.