History Main / MyGodWhathaveIDone

[[TropeNamer Named]] for a lyric in the Music/TalkingHeads song "Music/OnceInALifetime", where its use there is less about someone doing a horrible thing and more the revelation that one wasted their life away conformity.[[labelnote:note]][[WaxingLyrical Letting the days go by, letting the water hold me down...]][[labelnote]]

* ''VisualNovel/SlayThePrincess'': On the Witch route (which is accessible if you betray the Princess after initially presenting yourself as someone who'll help her), you can entrust the Princess with your knife as a sign of goodwill. The Witch, however, remains distrustful of you to the end and stabs you with it as soon as she takes it. However, as you lay on the ground dying, the Witch ends up tearing up as she realizes that you truly wanted to make amends with her. [[spoiler:Her guilt leads to her manifesting as the Thorn in the next chapter, a version of the Witch who is trapped in TheHedgeOfThorns, devastated by guilt and pain that came from past betrayals.]]

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_Terrible_and_His_Son_Ivan/ "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan"]] by Ilya Repin depicts Tsar Ivan IV just after he'd fatally struck his son in the head, his eyes wide in horror and regret. Note though that this version of events might be dubious; the {{painting|s}} was once even vandalized by a museum patron for being historically inaccurate.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_Terrible_and_His_Son_Ivan#/media/File:Iv%C3%A1n_el_Terrible_y_su_hijo,_por_Ili%C3%A1_Repin.jpg "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan"]] by Ilya Repin depicts Tsar Ivan IV just after he'd fatally struck his son in the head, his eyes wide in horror and regret. Note though that this version of events might be dubious; the {{painting|s}} was once even vandalized by a museum patron for being historically inaccurate.

** In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'', in the DLC case, [[spoiler:Marlon Rimes]] is quite similar to [[spoiler:Acro]]. [[spoiler:His girlfriend died during a performance a year ago, and he believed Orla the orca whale was responsible, not knowing that 1) his girlfriend had a heart condition that she was hiding, knowing that it would only worry him if he knew, and 2) it was an entirely different orca who was in the performance that he believed killed her. He tried to kill Orla by draining the water, but Jack Shipley, the owner of the aquarium and his boss, rushed out to save her, slipping and falling in the empty pool in the process, despite Marlon's attempt to save him. Marlon tried to frame Orla for Jack's death, but ultimately realized the truth of things and has this reaction. It becomes even more heartbreaking when he says that Jack's last words were a heartfelt apology to Marlon for not having recognized his grief before and a plea to stop blaming both Orla and himself for his girlfriend's death. Marlon is so wracked with guilt that he proceeds to ''ask for the death penalty,'' but everyone recognizes that he tried to get rid of Orla because he thought she was a threat to people's safety and reassure him that he can be redeemed -- Sasha happily tells him that everyone back at the aquarium will be eagerly waiting for his return once he's done his time. He even ''thanks'' the court as he's led away, and sure enough, he's released within a few months and is acting in the aquarium's theatrical show, to everyone's delight.]]

** Edgeworth begins to go through this process during the final case of the first game when he realizes [[spoiler: that the man he's been studying under and trying to emulate for the last fifteen years is his father's killer, and not only that, but the aforementioned man has been planning to tie up loose ends and get true revenge on Edgeworth's father ''for those same fifteen years'' by one day getting Edgeworth framed and convicted for murder.]] He doubles down in the DLC case when it comes to light that [[spoiler: much of the evidence that the police department has been supplying the prosecutor's office with for years has been fabricated, meaning that not only has Edgeworth been putting away every defendant who had the misfortune of being tried by him using dirty tricks and basically no morals, but he's been doing it with fake evidence.]] No wonder he [[spoiler: "chose death" and absconded to Europe to contemplate his character and the nature of law. He comes back from it kinder and more honest, with a visible weight lifted off his shoulders, and [[CharacterDevelopment is now only concerned with finding the truth behind the crimes he's faced with, no matter the danger it places him in.]]]]

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_Terrible_and_His_Son_Ivan#/media/File:Iv%C3%A1n_el_Terrible_y_su_hijo,_por_Ili%C3%A1_Repin.jpg "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan"]] by Ilya Repin depicts Tsar Ivan IV just after he'd fatally struck his son in the head, his eyes wide in horror and regret. Note though that this version of events might be dubious; the painting was once even vandalized by a museum patron for being historically inaccurate.

Do take note that CompleteMonster is too evil for true remorse thus can only {{Avert|edTrope}} or {{Subvert|edTrope}} this or have it undone via IgnoredEpiphany.

** ''MyGodWhatHaveIDone/SpongeBobSquarePants''

** ''MyGodWhatHaveIDone/ASongOfIceAndFire'' (''Series/GameOfThrones'' and ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'')

** * ''MyGodWhatHaveIDone/ASongOfIceAndFire'' (''Series/GameOfThrones'' and ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'')

Do take note that CompleteMonster is too evil for true remorse thus can only {{Avert|edTrope}} or {{Subvert|edTrope}} this or have it undone via IgnoredEpiphany .

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone/RealLife

*** Judas Iscariot's reaction after the crucifixion of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Christ, whom he betrayed, supposedly earning 30 pieces of silver. He attempted to return the silver and undo the betrayal, and later [[DrivenToSuicide committed suicide out of guilt]]. Quite a few adaptations runs with this interpretation, portraying Judas as mistakenly believing that Jesus at most would be imprisoned in the moment of betrayal and then [[YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo becoming utterly horrified when he learns that that the Sanhedrin actually wants the Romans to have him executed]]. Some of the apocrypha, including the "Gospel of Judas", purports this to be a necessary evil. The Bible has Jesus recognize this would happen, and warn all of the Twelve Disciples, including Judas.

** There are many more instances of this trope throughout ''The Bible'', such as what caused the original UriahGambit, and how King David realized his compounded folly afterwards; in that case, aside from those described in the Old Testament, it also (according to Jewish tradition) resulted in [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalm 51]], a famous prayer of repentance.

Often the result if the protagonist becomes an UnwittingPawn. Sometimes combined with HeroicBSOD or DespairEventHorizon; common with VillainousBSOD. Can be a self-inflicted WhatTheHellHero Contrast IDidWhatIHadToDo, BeAllMySinsRemembered, and IRegretNothing. Compare ItsAllMyFault, HeelRealization and KickTheMoralityPet. See also OutDamnedSpot, BeingEvilSucks, NiceJobBreakingItHero, and SympatheticMurderBackstory. This sort of moment is often why a RegretfulTraitor feels that regret. If it's done by two or more characters who are fighting, then it's DissensionRemorse. May be the result of an all too successful PygmalionPlot to TeachHimAnger. When a work tries to deliberately invoke this as an audience reaction, that's YouBastard (whether it's successful or not). Although they are not related, it's possible to overlap with WhatHaveIBecome If "My {{God}}" is taken literally, it may lead to a HeelFaithTurn.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_Terrible_and_His_Son_Ivan#/media/File:Iv%C3%A1n_el_Terrible_y_su_hijo,_por_Ili%C3%A1_Repin.jpg "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan"]] by Ilya Repin depicts Tsar Ivan IV just after he'd fatally struck his son in the head, his eyes wide in horror and regret. Note though that this version of events might be HollywoodHistory; the painting was once even vandalized by a museum patron for being historically inaccurate.

* ''Literature/HowJackSoughtTheGoldenApples'': The king orders Jack executed for apparently trying to poison him with rotting gilded apples. However, he feels sorry about it afterwards, and he is overjoyed when the executioner tells him he didn't actually carry out the order.

Do take note that {{Complete Monster}}s {{av|Erted trope}}oid this trope entirely, as they [[CardCarryingVillain take full responsibility for whatever heinous deeds they have done and relish in it]] [[EvilFeelsGood without ever feeling remorse]], [[NeverMyFault or any fault in their actions]].