History Main / TookALevelInIdealism

** Jinbe was a cynical fishman who, due to FantasticRacism of humans, views them as [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters monsters]] and tends to be brutal towards them, and he was only kept in check by Fisher Tiger, his captain, who has a code of not killing any humans. This influence slowly leads him to believe that peace between the two races is possible, and he mellows considerably as a result.
** Nico Robin is a very cynical girl when introduced: [[spoiler: she was forced by circumstances to be an EnfantTerrible in a world that was out to get her, developing a ChronicBackstabbingDisorder and, on a deeper level, [[DeathSeeker a death wish]], as a [[BrokenBird result]]]]. Luckily, she met a crew of TrueCompanions, [[spoiler:willing to [[AwesomeMoments/OnePiece declare war on the whole world]] for her sake,]] and she is now a much mellower, happier person.
** Nami, of the same crew, used to be a shameless ClassyCatBurglar with a visceral hatred for all pirates [[spoiler:as a result of a very traumatic childhood where [[InnocenceLost she was exploited by the pirate who killed her mother]]]]. After seeing the lengths to which Luffy goes to protect and avenge her, she learns to trust the world again.

** Tony Tony Chopper is a very naive reindeer kid, but he's still initially very mistrustful of humans, [[spoiler: partly because of the horrible betrayals suffered by his late teacher, but]] largely because they attempted to ''[[CarnivoreConfusion eat him!]]'' After getting over this little disagreement, he becomes possibly the most cheerful and idealistic member of the crew.

* ''VideoGames/{{Overwatch}}'' features Jesse [=McCree=], a BoxedCrook recruited by the titular organization who came to genuinely believe in their cause. He continues to support it years after the team's disbandment.

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* Public prosecutor Sae Nijima of ''VideoGame/((Persona 5))'' became disillusioned with the ideal of justice due to both her father dying in line of duty, leaving her to raise her sister alone, and due to years of seeing the flaws in the legal system. Eventually, she can be convinced to once again pursue justice [[spoiler: and cooperate with the Phantom Thieves to take down the conspiracy that's been exploiting the Palaces to commit crimes.]]

* ''VideoGames/Overwatch'' features Jesse [=McCree=], a BoxedCrook recruited by the titular organization who came to genuinely believe in their cause. He continues to support it years after the team's disbandment.

* ''VideoGames/Overwatch'' features Jesse McCree, a BoxedCrook recruited by the titular organization who came to genuinely believe in their cause. He continues to support it years after the team's disbandment.

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* Han Solo starts out as a snarky, world-weary smuggler in ''Film/StarWarsANewHope'', at one point poo-pooing the Force: "No mystical energy field controls ''my'' destiny," and later dismissing the rebel Alliance: "I'm not in it for your revolution; I expect to be paid." Fortunately, Han gets a few rethinks by the climax of the film.

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* ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'': [[CunningLikeAFox Nick's]] EstablishingCharacterMoment involved mocking [[RighteousRabbit Judy]] for trying to be a cop since he believed that nobody could escape the stereotypes that society put on each species. After becoming FireForgedFriends, he decides to follow Judy's example and become a cop himself.

* This trope is ''very'' common in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' fanfics.

** ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'': After dying, going through Instrumentality, surviving for four years in a post-apocalyptic war-torn world and being turned into the plaything of two warlords Asuka had become more broken, more bitter and more cynical, seeing herself like a failure and a worthless whore nobody cared about. Then she met people wanted to help her and told her she was not horrible or useless, she was not alone, she did not need to be scared, she deserved being loved and things would get better. After a while she started to believe them and started healing.

** ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': When she became ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' Asuka realized everyone expected her being a beacon of integrity, morality and courage. As she tried to live up to that ideal, Asuka gradually became more optimistic and less negative and bitter.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has Discord, who started out as a very hollow person only interested in entertainment. After Fluttershy befriends him, he starts finding more meaning to his life than the simple spreading of chaos, and seems to adopt a TricksterMentor attitude to the ponies.
** This gets deconstructed after getting tempted by Tirek to betray the ponies with the promise of regaining his former glory, but in the end gets ultimately betrayed himself. Played straight after Discord saw Twilight sacrifice her power to save her friends, including him. Considering that Twilight greatly dislikes Discord (if not downright hate him), this act made Discord realize there's no greater thing to have than friendship.

* During the pilot episode for ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', [[TagalongKid Ezra]] [[SupportingProtagonist Bridger]] has "SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers" drilled into him by the other main characters. The sentiment sticks.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''. The title character starts off as a very selfish jerk, but his traumatic experiences actually motivated him to become a better person and a more respectable ninja. In ''Shippuden'' he has a habit of inspiring this in any villain that turns out to be a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.

** Tamura usually seems more cheerful when [[{{crossdresser}} dressed as a girl]]. He TookALevelInCynic a few chapters in [[spoiler:due to remembering his RepressedMemories of sexual abuse]] but over the course of the series has to learn to allow himself to have fun and feel joy again.

* ComicBook/LexLuthor had one ''huge'' such moment in ''ComicBook/AllstarSuperman''; experiencing the world as Superman does made him fall to his knees [[TheWorldIsJustAwesome in the face of the beauty of it]]. After that, he surrenders peacefully to the authorities and [[RedemptionEqualsDeath calmly awaits his death sentence.]]

* ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'': After dying, going through Instrumentality, surviving for four years in a post-apocalyptic war-torn world and being turned into the plaything of two warlords Asuka had become more broken, more bitter and more cynical, seeing herself like a failure and a worthless whore nobody cared about. Then she met people wanted to help her and told her she was not horrible or useless, she was not alone, she did not need to be scared, she deserved being loved and things would get better. After a while she started to believe them and started healing.
* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'':
** After getting together Shinji and Asuka gradually become more optimistic and less depressed since they know now they are not alone and they are loved.
** As Rei gets closer to her fellow pilots her outlook changes radically. Before she wished for the peace of oblivion and thought Instrumentality was the only way to achieve it. Now she refuses allowing her friends' bond dissapear and is determined to find another way.
* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': As she goes through her pregnancy Asuka finds out she is not alone and she does not need to drive everyone away because there is people loves her.
* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfAnElderGod'': The Children are more optimistic and somewhat happier than in canon thanks to several changes on her upbringing (as an example, Asuka got a good mother figure. Ergo, she still is hot-tempered and tries to stand out but she is not constantly angry and she does not try to push everybody away constantly because she no longer is frightened of bonding with other people).
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'': After returning to the past, Shinji, Asuka and Rei are more sarcastic but also more idealistic: Shinji does not believe he can change things for better but he wants to try to anyway, Asuka try to be more carefree and a better friend since her former method to cope with her trauma did not work at all and Rei stops wishing for death and begins to learn how living.
* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': At the beginning of the story Shinji hardly cared for anything, including his own life. After meeting Asuka he learns the importance of valuing your own life and he even begins to believe he was destined to meet Asuka.
* ''Fanfic/{{HERZ}}'': Asuka managed surviving the Angel War but she became angrier and more bitter due to her terrible physical and emotional wounds and scars. However she managed opening up to Shinji after [[spoiler:his almost death.]] When the story stars out they have been married for five years and have a child, and Asuka is happy and feels loved, something she thought impossible back when she was a teenager.
* ''Fanfic/HigherLearning'': Shinji, Asuka and Rei learn to be more optimistic and more hopeful thanks to their new homeroom teacher's lessons. Shinji particularly realizes he can choose his own future.
* ''Fanfic/LastChildOfKrypton'': After discovering ''[[Franchise/{{Superman}} his powers]]'', Shinji becomes unapologetically idealistic. He believes everyone has some good inside them, fate can be changed and hope and courage will triumph over despair and fear. And he then ''proves'' it.
* ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'': After travelling back in time Shinji learns to not run away and not give up. So that he also helps Rei and Asuka to be more open and be more optimistic and hopeful.
* ''Fanfic/TheOneILoveIs'': Through the story Shinji, Asuka and Rei often get depressed, sad or even hopeless, but ultimately they try to overcome their troubles, open up to other people and gain a more positive mindset.
* ''Manga/ReTake'': Shinji goes from wanting everyone dying because he thought nobody cared about him to fight to save a world, even if he disappears, because the struggle itself is more important than the outcome. And Asuka goes from being utterly cynical, angry and jaded to realize someone truly loves her.
* ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'': After going through Instrumentality Shinji has realized live is pain... but also happiness. During a dispute he manages showing that to Asuka and from that point their relationship gets better and they gradually get over their many issues and neuroses and become better persons.
* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': When she became ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' Asuka realized everyone expected her being a beacon of integrity, morality and courage. As she tried to live up to that ideal, Asuka gradually became more optimistic and less negative and bitter.
* ''Fanfic/ThousandShinji'': Ironically, becoming the disciple of a ''[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} dark god of manipulation and trickery]]'' when he was a child turned Shinji into someone more optimistic than his canon self. He firmly believes in changing himself for better, never giving up and always hoping for a better future.

* Both the sabertooth tiger Diego and woolie mammoth Manfred conclude the film ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' with a much-improved world view. Manfred had been surly and asocial after losing his mate and his child. However, after restoring the human infant Bonebag to his father, Manfred discards his isolationism. This also happens to double agent Diego, who had known only self-serving Darwinism under the ruthless Soto. After being rescued from certain doom by Manfred, Diego hears, "That's what you do in a herd: you look out for each other." This "got your back" principle inspires Diego to abandon his mission to betray the group to Soto's pack and actively ''defend'' Manfred and the sloth Sid.

* ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'': [[CunningLikeAFox Nick's]] EstablishingCharacterMoment involved mocking [[RighteousRabbit Judy]] for trying to be a cop since he believed that nobody could escape the stereotypes that society put on each species. After becoming FireForgedFriends,he decides to follow Judy's example and become a cop himself.

* Mitsumi from ''Manga/PokemonDiamondAndPearlAdventure'' combines this with TookALevelInKindness and TookALevelnCheerfulness. She didn't have much of a good childhood [[spoiler:being orphaned then raised in Team Galactic to be a ChildSoldier]] but Professor Rowan showed that her humans could be friends with Pokemon.