History Main / TheAtoner

The problem is, Bob often has to wrestle with the temptation to return to his old ways, along with the [[OutDamnedSpot massive guilt]] built up over years of carefree evil. Also, said previous villain skills usually involve [[BadPowersBadPeople killing people in very messy ways]], which can result in [[KarmaMeter karmically harmful]] situations. Other times Bob's evil side won't go down without a fight, and manifests itself as an EnemyWithin. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that morality isn't a book that can be balanced -- no amount of babies saved now will bring Bob's past victims back to life. The Atoner usually realizes that "Redemption is the path, not the destination" thanks to TheRedeemer and continues for the rest of his life.

The problem is, Bob often has to wrestle with the temptation to return to his old ways, along with the [[OutDamnedSpot massive guilt]] built up over years of carefree evil. Also, said previous villain skills usually involve [[BadPowersBadPeople killing people in very messy ways]], which can result in [[KarmaMeter karmically harmful]] situations. Other times Bob's evil side won't go down without a fight, and manifests itself as an EnemyWithin. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that morality isn't a book that can be balanced--no amount of babies saved now will bring Bob's past victims back to life. The Atoner usually realizes that "Redemption is the path, not the destination" thanks to TheRedeemer and continues for the rest of his life.

Would-be Atoners who are not sincere are trying to BuyThemOff. Not to be confused with TheAloner, though they can both coincide if the character is trying to atone for killing off everyone else on the planet. And ''especially'' not to be confused with TheStoner (unless they turned to drugs to cope with their guilt). The Atoner may face rejection and hatred from those who don't believe he's reformed, which is ReformedButRejected, and more importantly, he must be careful not to run into the HeelFaceDoorSlam. In some instances, however, there are characters who will acknowledge The Atoner's change of heart, but [[ForgivenButNotForgotten do so in a grudging manner]]. The Atoner must also beware of [[AccuserOfTheBrethren one character who actively seeks to end his path to redemption]].

* ''VisualNovel/PiofioreNoBansho'' As an otome game about the mafia, this trope is rampant.

* [[{{TheAtoner/Film}} Films]]

* TheAtoner/RealLife

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTCkMsYsRUg Oshrad Bonebreaker]], a fantasy-inspired ballad by Music/ClamaviDeProfundis, details the story of the titular orc, an infamous warlord, who changed his ways after seeing the other orcs torturing a dwarf prisoner.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTCkMsYsRUg Oshrad Bonebreaker]], a fantasy-inspired ballad by ''[[Music/{{Chieftain}} Clamavi De Profundis]]'', details the story of the titular orc, an infamous warlord, who changed his ways after seeing the other orcs torturing a dwarf prisoner.

** Uriah Olathaire, the last Christian priest on Terra during the Unification Wars, was a spoiled drunkard, womanizer and hired gun before his vision of "God" after surviving a [[CurbStompBattle one-sided battle]] against the Emperor's Thunder Warriors. He argues with a mysterious man named [[AngelsUnaware "Revelation"]] about the merits of religion, saying that his "superstitions" have allowed him to let go of his past and pursue a life of charity.

** The ancient [[SpaceElves Eldar]] empire became so decadent and depraved that it created the [[EldritchAbomination Chaos God Slaanesh]], so the Craftworld Eldar who survived it live extremely regimented and spartan lives to avoid the mistakes of the past. The Dark Eldar for the most part continue the old traditions, but some will have a HeelRealization and leave Comorragh for new lives among Exodite societies, Harlequin troupes, or simply as hermits, mercenaries and [[SpacePirate corsairs]]. This may not sound like much, but considering what kind of stuff the Dark Eldar do, it's a really big improvement.

* In the ''Roleplay/CampusLife'' RPG, Mewtwo is revealed to have abandoned the family of cloned Pokemon he created when threatened by Team Rocket. He now spends time developing inventions to improve the lives of people in third-world countries, and has a bad case of ChronicHeroSyndrome.

[[folder:Visual Novel]]

-->I'll be good...
-->For all of the light that I've shut out/For all of the innocent things that I doubt/For all of the bruises and all of the tears/For all of the things that I've done all these years/For all of the sparks that I've stomped out/For all of the perfect things that I doubt
-->I'll be good/I'll be good/And I'll love the world like I should/Yeah/I'll be good/I'll be good/For all of the times I never could

Once, there was a major villain named Bob. He committed every crime one could think of, and he did it with a song in his heart and a skip in his step. Then, [[PersonalHorror something happened to make him]] ''[[PersonalHorror see]]'' [[PersonalHorror the horror of what he was doing]]. He realized how much pain he had caused, and he set out on a personal quest to try to make it right.

The problem is, Bob often has to wrestle with the temptation to return to his old ways, along with the [[OutDamnedSpot massive guilt]] built up over years of carefree evil. Also, said previous villain skills usually involve [[BadPowersBadPeople killing people in very messy ways]], which can result in [[KarmaMeter karmically harmful]] situations. Other times Bob's evil side won't go down without a fight, and manifests itself as an EnemyWithin. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that morality isn't a book that can be balanced--no amount of babies saved now will bring Bob's past victims back to life. The Atoner usually realizes that "Redemption is the path, not the destination" and continues for the rest of his life.

Genuine atoners have a high chance of becoming TheWoobie, especially if they were an AntiVillain in the first place. See also, BeAllMySinsRemembered, where they continue to suffer a guilt complex over their past misdeeds. Contrast with MyGreatestFailure — instead of a formerly evil character turning from their past, a good character feels the need to atone for not preventing a bad outcome (regardless of whether they could have changed anything), and RetiredMonster — a villain who has retired from their villainy but hasn't shown any regret or remorse for their misdeeds nor has made any attempt to redeem themselves. The Atoner may have experienced GoAndSinNoMore, and may enact a SelfPunishmentOverFailure.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTCkMsYsRUg Oshrad Bonebreaker]], a fantasy-inspired ballad by ''[[Music/Chieftain ClamaviDeProfundis]]'', details the story of the titular orc, an infamous warlord, who changed his ways after seeing the other orcs torturing a dwarf prisoner.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTCkMsYsRUg Oshrad Bonebreaker]], a fantasy-inspired ballad by ''Creator/ClamaviDeProfundis'', details the story of the titular orc, an infamous warlord, who changed his ways after seeing the other orcs torturing a dwarf prisoner.

!!Examples:

* {{TheAtoner/Film}}

** Here's a canonical tale: Some years before the setting's current time, a fourteen-year-old StreetUrchin named Seelah stole a paladin's helm, intending to pawn it for food money. Later, the paladin died of a blow to the head. Seelah, consumed with guilt, returned the helm with the intent to commit suicide on the paladin's funeral pyre. Instead, she was taken in by the order and became [[Characters/{{Pathfinder}} the iconic paladin]].

* ''VisualNovel/{{Grisaia No Kajitsu}}'':

** 5th edition introduces the Oath of Redemption paladin, who has sworn an oath to atone for his past misdeeds.

Genuine atoners have a high chance of becoming TheWoobie, especially if they were an AntiVillain in the first place. See also, BeAllMySinsRemembered, where they continue to suffer a guilt complex over their past misdeeds. Contrast with MyGreatestFailure — instead of a formerly evil character turning from their past, a good character feels the need to atone for not preventing a bad outcome (regardless of whether they could have changed anything), and RetiredMonster — a villain who has retired from their villainy but hasn't shown any regret or remorse for their misdeeds nor has made any attempt to redeem themselves. The Atoner may have experienced GoAndSinNoMore.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'': Two examples occur in the episode "[[Recap/DuckTalesS1E53HeroForHire Hero for Hire]]":
** When Scrooge sees Launchpad's photo in the paper as "the Webbed Wonder", [[ItsAllMyFault he blames himself]] for sending his former pilot off the rails and makes up his mind to get to him before the police can lock him up.
** After realizing [[FilmFelons he's been duped]] and other people will suffer for it, Launchpad goes after the Beagle Boys to get back the money they tricked him into stealing and to rescue [[IntergenerationalFriendship Doofus]].
[[/folder]]

The Atoner is an evil character who has [[HeelRealization realized the error of his ways]], possibly wants to [[MustMakeAmends make amends]], and has decided that they will do so via heroic deeds. [[GetOutOfJailFreeCard Simple imprisonment won't do]], because it does nothing to make recompense for what he's done wrong. Besides, he still has all these amazing skills and resources from the Bad Old Days--wouldn't it be better to use them for good?

A subtrope of this is "[[HitmanWithAHeart Assassin Wants To Quit]]." Stories involving them allow us to cheer on the assassin as they battle their former employers using the same murderous skills they honed during their previous career. Atoners sometimes go on a RedemptionQuest in order to atone. If their deed of atonement is especially painful, it may overlap with ThePenance.

Genuine atoners have a high chance of becoming TheWoobie, especially if they were an AntiVillain in the first place. See also, BeAllMySinsRemembered, where they continue to suffer a guilt complex over their past misdeeds. Contrast with MyGreatestFailure--instead of a formerly evil character turning from their past, a good character feels the need to atone for not preventing a bad outcome (regardless of whether they could have changed anything), and RetiredMonster--a villain who has retired from their villainy but hasn't shown any regret or remorse for their misdeeds nor has made any attempt to redeem themselves. The Atoner may have experienced GoAndSinNoMore.

[[folder: Western Animation]]