History MyGodWhatHaveIDone / ComicBooks

* In a 1996 ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'' storyline, the Hulk is hunted by Matt Talbot (nephew of the late Glen Talbot) who is obsessed with capturing him and attacking Betty (once Glen's wife). At one point, he even shoots Betty in the leg just to rile up the Hulk for a trap. Talbot is unknowingly influenced by the figure Omnibus who has removed Talbot's normal reason to push his obsessions. Just as Talbot is being brought before a military tribunal to defend his actions, Omnibus meets a nasty end. Instantly, in mid-sentence, Talbot is overwhelmed by his old emotions and recites the trope verbatim as he realizes too late he's ruined his career.

** ''ComicBook/DaredevilChipZdarsky'':

* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', though in a very light manner: after Chase [[spoiler:nearly gets KilledOffForReal because of drowning, when the team [[StormingTheCastle storms the Marine Vivarium]], and Molly and Karolina argue about which way was correct to resurrect him]]. Fortunately, Gert followed Molly's advice, leaving Karolina pondering about what she nearly caused -- though that lasts [[AngstWhatAngst about 2 seconds]].

* ComicBook/{{BPRD}}: Industrial CEO Landis Pope schemed to transform himself into a new version of mystical WWII villain the Black Flame, giving him control over a growing army of frog-like monsters and the power of [[EldritchAbomination Katha-Hem]]. When it turns out that [[spoiler: the frogs were only manipulating him to wake Katha-Hem, a titanic star-spawn that makes Cthulhu look like fishbait, heralds another big step towards the end of the world, and promptly destroys much of Nebraska]], he can't quite cope with the realisation.

* In the first issue of ''ComicBook/TheSagaOfCrystarCrystalWarrior'', when Moltar has been manipulated into stabbing his brother Crystar and (wrongly) believes he has killed him, he cries "WHAT HAVE I DONE?" A few scenes later, when his actions lead to him and his followers being turned into monsters (as they will remain for the rest of the series), he has a single BeatPanel of blank horror as it all sinks in... and then composes himself and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil loudly embraces this fate,]] for the benefit of his followers if nothing else. Moltar remains a rather reluctant BigBad through the whole series' run, deeply unhappy about what his actions have made him.

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':

** In ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl1982 Supergirl Vol. 2]]'' issue #23, Linda Danvers' professor has been overtaken by his dark side and transformed into an evil psychic mutant. Supergirl tries to reach him out, and when it fails, lets him believe he has killed her. Just as planned, his good side is so horrified that he regains self-control.

** ''ComicBook/KryptoniteNevermore'', Superman and his Sandman doppelganger are about to fight. However a friend makes them see a vision in which their battle tears the world apart. Superman believes it to be real and he gets horrified. He covers his face with his hands and begins weeping.
--->'''Superman:''' Wait! — Look! The flames... the cracks...! I can't see any sign of life — anywhere! Oh, dear Lord... What have we done? For our own selfish ends, we've destroyed — everything! Forgive me, forgive me...
** In ''ComicBook/WarWorld'', Mongul kidnaps Superman's closest friends, blackmailing him into stealing the Crystal Key which controls a star-sized satellite-weapon (and getting in a big fight with ComicBook/MartianManhunter to do it). Superman feels so guilty that he recruits [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} his cousin]] and sets out to bring Mongul down or die trying.

** Downplayed in ''ComicBook/TheComingOfAtlas''. ComicBook/LoisLane had endlessly complained about ComicBook/KryptoTheSuperdog: he is destructive, is not house trained, he does not belong with them, he does not even belong on Earth... whereas Clark protested his dog is a good boy. Then she sees Krypto getting hurt while protecting her husband from a Doomsday-like villain, and regrets having treated Clark's poor pet so harshly.
** In ''ComicBook/SupermanVsShazam'', Superman whispers the line verbatim when he sees Captain Marvel lying alarmingly still on the ground after he has delivered a brutal knockout blow.

** ''Daredevil: Father''[='=]s famous CerebusRetcon caused Matt to have one when he learns [[spoiler:that instead of being blinded saving a helpless old man, he was unknowingly saving a monster who was molesting his own daughter, who went on to become a serial kille who sought revenge by killing others Matt helped]].

* ''ComicBook/DaredevilChipZdarsky'':
** The events of the run are kicked off by Daredevil, still recovering his injuries from the finale of ''ComicBook/DaredevilCharlesSoule'', [[spoiler:accidentally killing a robber during a fight and becoming guilt-ridden at realizing it wasn't a frame job, but something he accidentally did]].
** When Mike Murdock, an identity Matt concocted as part of a FakeTwinGambit, came to life thanks to RealityWarper the Reader during Soule's run, he later [[spoiler:uses [[CosmicRetcon a Norn Stone to give himself an actual life and history]] in Zdarsky's run -- which now included him playing a role in the accident that blinded Matt (by dropping out of summer school, thus leaving Matt by himself) and the death of their father, Jack (by betting money on Jack winning the match that led to his murder). Naturally, this horrified Mike.]]

** The events of the run are kicked off by Daredevil, still recovering from the finale of ''ComicBook/DaredevilCharlesSoule'', [[spoiler:accidentally killing a robber during a fight and becoming guilt-ridden at realizing it wasn't a frame job, but something he accidentally did]].
** When Mike Murdock, an identity ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} concocted as part of a FakeTwinGambit, came to life thanks to RealityWarper the Reader during Soule's run, he later [[spoiler:uses [[CosmicRetcon a Norn Stone to give himself an actual life and history]] in Zdarsky's run -- which now included him playing a role in the accident that blinded Matt (by dropping out of summer school, thus leaving Matt by himself) and the death of their father, Jack (by betting money on Jack winning the match that led to his murder). Naturally, this horrified Mike.]]

When Mike Murdock, an identity ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} concocted as part of a FakeTwinGambit, came to life thanks to RealityWarper the Reader during Soule's run, he later uses [[CosmicRetcon a Norn Stone to give himself an actual life and history]] in Zdarsky's run -- which now included him playing a role in the accident that blinded Matt (by dropping out of summer school, thus leaving Matt by himself) and the death of their father, Jack (by betting money on Jack winning the match that led to his murder). Naturally, this horrified Mike.

* When Mike Murdock, an identity ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} concocted as part of a FakeTwinGambit, came to life during thank to RealityWarper, the Reader, in ''ComicBook/DaredevilCharlesSoule'', he later used [[CosmicRetcon a Norn Stone to give himself an actual life and history]] in ''ComicBook/DaredevilChipZdarsky'' -- which now included him playing a role in the accident that blinded Matt (by dropping out of summer school, thus leaving Matt by himself) and the death of their father, Jack (by betting money on Jack winning the match that led to his murder). Naturally, this horrified Mike.

** Kid Flash (Bar Torr/"Bart Allen) realised that [[CaptainObviousReveal rebellions hurt people]] when he accidentally kills his sister. This causes him to call the entire thing off, because...yeah, he apparently didn't realise that people get hurt in armed rebellions.

* In the first issue of ''ComicBook/CrystarCrystalWarrior.'' when Moltar has been manipulated into stabbing his brother Crystar and (wrongly) believes he has killed him, he cries "WHAT HAVE I DONE?" A few scenes later, when his actions lead to him and his followers being turned into monsters (as they will remain for the rest of the series), he has a single BeatPanel of blank horror as it all sinks in... and then composes himself and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil loudly embraces this fate,]] for the benefit of his followers if nothing else. Moltar remains a rather reluctant BigBad through the whole series' run, deeply unhappy about what his actions have made him.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', though in a very light manner: after Chase [[spoiler: nearly gets KilledOffForReal because of drowning, when the team [[StormingTheCastle storms the Marine Vivarium]], and Molly and Karolina argue about which way was correct to resurrect him.]] Fortunately, Gert followed Molly's advice, leaving Karolina pondering about what she nearly caused. Though that lasts about 2 seconds (AngstWhatAngst ?).

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':

* During ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', when Franchise/{{Superman}} and Mandrakk have their first battle, Zillo Valla tries to give Supes advice from the sidelines. Mandrakk kills her to shut her up, then realizes in horror who she was: his former lover. However, after a second of grief, he [[NeverMyFault blames Superman for his mistake]] and keeps attacking.
* ''Franchise/TheFlash'':

* This is actually Comicbook/GhostRider's schtick with the Penance Stare, forcing those to confront all of their sins. The best use of this was in ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourTheAnimatedSeries'', where he takes down ''Galactus''.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** This is Peter's reaction upon realizing that by stopping a thief running past him earlier, he could've stopped the guy before he killed Uncle Ben.

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'': In general Diana's lasso's ability to instill this reaction into her opponents by forcing them to face the truth of the consequences of their actions and their motivations is a large part of the reason her rogues gallery is less well known; a lot of her foes only fight her once before reforming to some extent and changing their ways.

** The ''ComicBook/PostCrisis'' backstory for Batman's DeadPersonImpersonation of Matches Malone involves the real Matches and his brother Carver accidentally killing a homeless man. While Carver wants to go to the police, Matches preferred to keep it quiet -- but the guilt ate at Carver so much [[DrivenToSuicide that it led to Carver committing suicide while Matches was away trying to bury the body]].

* ComicBook/IronMan: When FBI agent Neil Stretch threatens to arrest ''ComicBook/PepperPotts'' and the hospitalized Happy Hogan unless Pepper agrees to cooperate with him, Pepper agrees to work with him. Pepper provides Stretch with the code he needs to activate a failsafe which deactivates the Iron Man armor. She regrets giving Stretch the code the minute she gives it to him, as she tells a comatose Happy.

* This is actually Comicbook/GhostRider's schtick with the Penance Stare, forcing those to confront all of their sins. The best use of this was in the 1995 ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFour'' cartoon, where he takes down ''Galactus''.