History Main / RedemptionRejection

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
** In "The More the Merrier", when Team RWBY encounters Raven, the latter declines Qrow's offer to hand over the Spring Maiden and help them fight against Salem, citing that the latter is [[InvincibleVillain unstoppable]]. Ruby also tries to convince Raven to join forces with the others, reasoning that they've done impossible feats by working together. But Raven simply tells Ruby that she reminds her of Summer, and opens a portal to allow Cinder's team to attack. Seeing this, Qrow declares that Raven has [[ThisIsUnforgivable crossed the line]] and declares they're no longer family.
** In "The Enemy of Trust", Ironwood has [[SanitySlippage gone mad]], [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope decided to declare martial law over Atlas]] raise the floating city higher into the sky and abandon Mantle to the Grimm and cold. Oscar goes to confront Ironwood over this, hoping to talk him out of it. Oscar warns that if Ironwood goes through with his plans he will not only leave Remnant more divided than ever, but will only be saving a single city while allowing the millions left on the planet to suffer under Salem's wrath. Ironwood refuses to budge, insisting that he's not going to let anyone get in the way of "what's right". When Oscar points out that Ironwood's stance makes him [[NotSoDifferent no different from Salem]], [[KickTheMoralityPet Ironwood unflinchingly shoots him.]]

* In ''Film/SodomAndGomorrah'', after receiving a message from Jehovah about the impending destruction of the title cities, Hebrew leader Lot tries to appeal to Queen Bera of Sodom and her subjects to repent their sinful ways and join the Hebrews in following Jehovah to spare them from His vengeance. But none of the Sodomites are interested (one in particular tells Lot he's happy in Sodom and throws a goblet of wine in his face), while Bera tells Lot that she feels she has nothing to repent, thus sealing her doom.
-->'''Bera:''' What you call sin, to me is virtue. And all-powerful Death, whom you hate, I worship. I turn my back on you, Lot. ''[stands up]'' On you... and your ''impotent'' god.

* Towards the end of ''VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime'', [[spoiler:the gang learn of [[{{Yandere}} Penelope's]] betrayal. She was only using her boyfriend Bentley [[UnfortunateImplications to build weapons to sell for billions of dollars]], and [[DealWithTheDevil soul her soul to LeParadox for the lives of Sly and Murray]]. Bentley, after recovering from his HeroicBSOD, tells his ex-girlfriend that Le Paradox is only using her for his own desires, and intends to dispose of her when [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness she's outlived her usefulness]]. He still loves her, and hoped that by pointing this out, she'd reconsider her betrayal and return to the Cooper Gang. She rejects this spitefully, [[VillainousBreakdown and attacks him]], showing she's just a greedy JerkWithAHeartOfJerk who never loved him, forcing Bentley to fight back]].

* In ''Film/TalesFromTheHood'', the fourth and final story focused on a gangbanger named Crazy K. After getting shot by enemies from another gang, Crazy K is saved at the last minute by police and taken to prison. There he meets a MysteroiusWoman in [[EtherealWhiteDress White]] who offers him a chance at redemption which he accepts. She begins by [[GoodIsNotNice forcing Crazy K]] to witness the horrors he inflicted over his years of gangbanging. At the end, she puts him in an isolated room, where he sees visions of the many people he killed: enemies, friends, even an innocent girl who was a bystander during one of his many drive-by shootings. Ultimately, however, Crazy K rejects redemption, telling the lady (who was really an angel) that he doesn't give a fuck. The lady finally gives up and Crazy K, who [[DeadAllAlong really died]] from his gunshot wound and was given a chance to save his soul, was sent to Hell. Discussed by the [[LouisCypher Narrator]] who mentions that people like him are too far gone and can't be saved.

** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' has [[TheSociopath Malware]] being subject to this. In ''Showdown'', after [[spoiler:[[WhereIWasBornAndRazed destroying his own homeworld]]]], he confronts [[BigGood Azmuth]] about it, leading to this exchange (quite reminding of the Kung-Fu Panda example above) between them:
--->'''Azmuth''': [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Soiling chaos doesn't take any special talent, Malware. If that's the best you can do, I am not impressed]].
--->'''Malware''': [[WellDoneSonGuy No! Nothing I do could ever impress you, could it, "father"? In your eyes, I am nothing but your failed experiment. Your... shame!]]
--->'''Azmuth''': My only shame is that I have been unable to heal your pain. But it's not too late. Give up this vendetta of yours, and we will work together to make you whole.
--->'''Malware''' (hesitates for a second, then breaks down): LIES! Even now, you conspire against me! It ''is'' too late!

** During the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E20VivaLasPegasus Viva Las Pegasus]]" Applejack and Fluttershy are forced to pull an EnemyMine with recurring villians [[ConMan Flim and Flam]] in order to bring down [[BitchInSheepsClothing Gladmane]]. After all is said and done, Fluttershy hopes that the con ponies will feel good about using their skills to help others and change their ways -- but the brothers quickly state that was a one-time thing only and go back to their normal behavior.

* In the last few episodes of the second season of "Anime/{{Bakugan}}", Mylene is offered a chance to join the Brawlers in their quest to defeat the BigBad. She decides to [[AlphaBitch to try and kill them]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' "Earthlings", [[spoiler: Jasper's gem becomes corrupted and Steven attempts to heal her. However, Jasper shoves him away and rejects his help out of her hatred for Rose Quartz and a desire to not be seen as weak.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': In "The More the Merrier", when Team RWBY encounters Raven, the latter declines Qrow's offer to hand over the Spring Maiden and help them fight against Salem, citing that the latter is [[InvincibleVillain unstoppable]]. Ruby also tries to convince Raven to join forces with the others, reasoning that they've done impossible feats by working together. But Raven simply tells Ruby that she reminds her of Summer, and opens a portal to allow Cinder's team to attack. Seeing this, Qrow declares that Raven has [[ThisIsUnforgivable crossed the line]] and declares they're no longer family.

* Near the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheLorax'' during the finale musical number "Let It Grow", the townspeople are introducing themselves and talking about the benefits of bringing back real trees. Eventually the main villain joins in. "My name's O'Hare, I'm one of you!/ I live in Thneedville too./ The things you say just might be true./ It might be time to start anew/ And change my point of view... Naaaaah! I say let it die! Let it die! Let it shrivel up AND DIE! Who's with me?"

** Both Rumpelstiltskin and Regina ''do'' ultimately find redemption by Season 3. [[spoiler: Regina sticks with it. Rumple...[[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope not so much.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:300:Thanks... but no thanks.]]

* In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', the book ends with Reacher Gilt being offered a similar choice to what Moist was offered at the start. Vetinari tells Gilt he can either carry out a risky government job (in this case, sorting out the Royal Mint) or he can walk out the door and "never hear from me again." Unlike Moist, Gilt walks away. Unlike Moist, Gilt does not manage to avoid falling to his death through the hole in the corridor floor.

*** Loki makes a habit of this, up until his [[spoiler:actual redemption and subsequent death]]. In ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', Loki is given a chance to help Thor avenge their mother by stopping the Dark Elves, and Loki, after much bickering, sincirely helps save Thor's love Jane and kills the monster that killed their mother. It appears to be a RedemptionEqualsDeath moment...except Loki instead uses this as an opportunity to ''fake'' his death, return to Asgard in disguise, kidnap Odin, and assume his place as king. in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', after this was exposed and the two ended up on Sakaar, Loki is captured by Valkyrie before he can turn Thor over to the Grandmaster, and offers Thor a means to escape back to Asgard. During this plan, however, Loki attempts to betray Thor just as they seem to have an understanding, only for Thor to see this coming and incapacitate Loki with the control disk previously used on Thor, allowing Thor to give him a speech where he points out that Loki is always squandering his potential with betrayals when he could be something more. [[spoiler:Loki takes this to heart and arrives later to help evacuate the Asgardians, after which he sincirely redeems and rejoins his brother, [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar later dying while trying to protect him from Thanos.]]]]

* The heroic return montage World Wonder Ring STARDOM put together for Act Yasukawa before the final match of the 2015 Five*Star Grand Prix, combined with a huge pop from the audience, actually brought her close to tears and had her spew a fountain of rum in appreciation... before she proceeded spit on all the audience members she could, reject Haruka Kato and Momo Watanabe welcome then had Kyoko Kimura preoccupy the referee while she destroyed them.[[/folder]]

** It's even more blatant in [[Manga/DragonBallSuper the manga]]. [[spoiler:Black acts like he will accept Gowasu's offer to repent and grabs his hand, before [[TheFarmerAndTheViper promptly impaling him]]; Black [[DidYouActuallyBelieve promptly calls Gowasu an idiot for thinking that he could actually persuade him to stop and change his ways, especially since Black's already killed]] ''[[DidYouActuallyBelieve two]]'' [[DidYouActuallyBelieve incarnations of Gowasu for the sake of his plan]].]]

* Also part of Sauron's backstory in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''. After the War of Wrath and Morgoth's defeat and exile, Sauron was genuinely repentant at first, and did want to return to Valinor. Unfortunately the price of redemption proved to be too high for him. Having gotten a taste for power as TheDragon to the Lord of Evil, Sauron wasn't about to settle for much less, let alone whatever penance the Valar were surely going to impose on him for his rebellion. So instead he vanished into the unknown east of Middle-Earth for the next thousand years, returning in the guise of the sorcerer Annatar, with a Master Plan to ingratiate himself withe Noldor and use them in his quest to conquer the world.

* Also part of Sauron's backstory in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''. After the War of Wrath and Morgoth's defeat and exile, Sauron was genuinely repentant at first, and did want to return to Valinor. Unfortunately the price of redemption proved to be too high for him. Having gotten a taste for power as TheDragon to the Lord of Evil, Sauron wasn't about to settle for much less, let alone whatever penance the Valar were surely going to impose on him for his rebellion. So instead he vanished into the unknown east of Middle-Earth for the next thousand years, returning as the full-fledged DragonAscendent with a Master Plan to conquer the world.

* In ''Film/TalesFromTheHood'', the fourth and final story focused on a gangbanger named Crazy K. After getting shot by enemies from another gang, Crazy K is saved at the last minute by police and taken to prison. There he meets a WomanInWhite who offers him a chance at redemption which he accepts. She begins by [[GoodIsNotNice forcing Crazy K]] to witness the horrors he inflicted over his years of gangbanging. At the end, she puts him in an isolated room, where he sees visions of the many people he killed: enemies, friends, even an innocent girl who was a bystander during one of his many drive-by shootings. Ultimately, however, Crazy K rejects redemption, telling the lady (who was really an angel) that he doesn't give a fuck. The lady finally gives up and Crazy K, who [[DeadAllAlong really died]] from his gunshot wound and was given a chance to save his soul, was sent to Hell. Discussed by the [[LouisCypher Narrator]] who mentions that people like him are too far gone and can't be saved.

->'''God:''' Alucard... you are forgiven. And if you are brave enough to accept it-\\

* A heartbreaking example in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarChainsOfOlympus''. After [[BigBad Persephone]] reveals her [[EvilPlan scheme to undo reality]], Kratos was forced to put aside his redemption and ends up slaughtering the pure souls of Elysuim in order to gain his powers back that he can stop both her and [[TheDragon Atlas]]. The price he ends up paying is '''very''' high; in order to save the world and the underworld, he would never see Calliope again. The quicktime event where Kratos must push away his daughter and embrace his monstrous self again is possibly the most [[TearJerker/GodOfWarSeries heartbreaking]] use of this type of gameplay ever created.

** ''Film/TheLastJedi'': Rey offers Kylo the chance to join her after [[spoiler:he kills his master, the GreaterScopeVillain Snoke, and they fight off his PraetorianGuard together]]. Instead, he tries to pull a WeCanRuleTogether on ''her'' and stays behind to [[spoiler:[[DragonAscendant take over]] the First Order]].

Not to be confused with ReformedButRejected. Compare with IgnoredEpiphany, where the villain has a moment of self-realization but dismisses it, and IveComeTooFar, where the villain feels that they've already gone too far down the path of evil to turn around.