Line #16 FaceHeelTurn/WesternAnimation


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6	{{Face Heel Turn}}s in Western Animation.
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8	* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'': Parodied in "Super Hero". Shake begins plans to become a [[WeatherManipulation rain-summoning]] superhero called "The Drizzle" merely by causing an '[[FreakLabAccident accident]]' by spilling toxic waste over himself, causing fumes to emit from his body. Soon, he decides to become "The Fume" and spreads his message by committing [[PyroManiac arson]] over the city, it doesn't take long for the toxic waste to turn him into [[ImMelting a puddle]].
9	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
10	** Zuko does a beautiful FaceHeelTurn in the Season 2 finale. Actually, he does a FaceHeelTurn, then a HeelFaceTurn, then another FaceHeelTurn, then a few somersaults, ending with another HeelFaceTurn. Say that three times fast. His first FaceHeelTurn came when he was 12. An innocent, well-meaning boy gets half his face burned off by his ''loving'' father. After this, he hunts Aang ruthlessly for his "honor." His second, and most exemplary FaceHeelTurn, came at the second season finale. After starting fresh in Ba Sing Se, Zuko has to choose between his honor and his Uncle. After a blatant "I Hate You" speech, he attacks Aang and returns home a hero, at least until his final HeelFaceTurn.
11	** The series' sequel, ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' gives us Tarrlok, a [[SmugSnake Smug Weasel-Snake]] who, at least, appeared to be willing to ShootTheDog and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo doing what he had to do]] to keep Republic City safe from the Equalists and BigBad Amon. In "When Extremes Meet," though, he [[TookALevelInJerkass takes a massive level in Jerkass]], arresting most of the new Team Avatar and a lot of innocent non-benders. When Korra confronts him about it, Tarrlok tries to [[NotSoDifferentRemark tell Korra she's no different]] than him, but she rebuffs him, including rejecting Tarrlok's request to free Team Avatar if she works with him. Then Tarrlok [[PeoplePuppets bloodbends Korra]] and kidnaps her, telling her she'll never see Republic City again. [[spoiler:Not long after that, [[BigBad Amon]] kidnaps Tarrlok (inadvertently letting Korra escape). When Korra runs into the imprisoned Tarrlok in the SeasonFinale, he's [[TheAtoner genuinely regretful about what he did]], and in the end he [[MurderSuicide kills both]] [[RedemptionEqualsDeath himself and Amon]].]]
12	** The previous episode also featured a FaceHeelTurn for Hiroshi Sato, Asami's father, who joined up with the Equalists because [[LoveMakesYouEvil a firebender killed his wife]].
13	** Book 4 gives us [[spoiler:two more Face-Heel Turns. Kuvira went from Suyin's protegée to a power-hungry dictator who claims to want to bring peace back to the Earth Kingdom but really seeks control, Baatar Jr. who followed Kuvira and took a ''massive'' level in Jerkass in the process. Zhu Li also seems to perform a Face-Heel Turn in "Enemy At The Gates", pledging loyalty to Kuvira after finally getting fed up with Varrick for his poor treatment of her, but "Operation Beifong" reveals her to actually be a FakeDefector, who deliberately got close to Kuvira so she could sabotage her superweapon.]]
14	* Creator/HannaBarbera's Muttley CaptainErsatz as well as Series/{{Columbo}} {{Expy}} Mumbly was made a bad guy in ''WesternAnimation/LaffALympics'' and ''Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose'' because they didn't have all the rights to ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'' at the time and couldn't be bothered to create a new character.
15	* Albedo from the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' franchise did this. In a flashback from when Ben was 11, he was allied with Ben and Azmuth, and was at least a respectful, decent guy at the time. From ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' onward however, he is a major enemy of Ben Tennyson, for he did turn evil during the TimeSkip between shows.
16	** There's also Captain Nemesis/Overlord, who made his debut in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien''. He was a famous hero before Ben even got the Omnitrix, and Ben was a huge fan of him. Then Ben ended up stealing his fame, he became jealous, and he ended up turning to villainy, forcing a SadisticChoice onto Ben. Needless to say, [[BrokenPedestal Ben was not happy.]]
17	* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'': In "Big Trouble", being sent to her room upsets Tilly so much she decides that, if she's no longer an angel, then she's going to be a bad girl. Her attempts at doing bad, however, end up falling flat.
18	* "Turf Wars", the last episode of the 2006 revival of ''WesternAnimation/BikerMiceFromMars'', revealed that Harley, Vinnie's girlfriend and one of the Martian freedom fighters who rebelled against the Plutarkian invasion from the original 1993 series, became disfigured while trying to flee from the Plutarkians and sided with the Rats because she believed the Biker Mice abandoned her. The Biker Mice did not abandon her, and were in fact aghast to see an old ally become their enemy.
19	* A {{Flashback}} episode of ''WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots'' revealed that Cy-Kill was once Leader-1's best friend, but frustration over the leadership of Gobotron caused Cy-Kill to join the rebellion (and eventually lead it). In fact, the name of the episode where this is told is "[[Theatre/JuliusCaesar Et Tu, Cy-Kill?]]"
20	* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' had an agent, Numbuh 274, who had appeared in a couple Season 1 and Season 2 episodes become a villain from Season 3 onward after turning 13. However, it turned out that [[spoiler:he'd been working for [[TheMole the good side all along]]]] in the penultimate episode of the show.
21	** The fourth-grade class president also began as a heroic character but, after the KND works to ensure his safe election, it's revealed that he's [[NiceJobBreakingItHero actually their enemy]]. The exact nature of his FaceHeelTurn is something of a mystery: while his blank eyes, CreepyMonotone and Father's EvilLaughter during his FaceHeelTurn implies that he'd been brainwashed, later episodes establish him as not only a [[NotBrainwashed perfectly willing]] heel, but one whose agenda has little connection to Father.
22	* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' suffers from amnesia after a blow to the head in "Public Enemy No. 1." His nemesis, Baron Greenback, convinces him that he's the Robin Hood-like White Shadow. This ends DM on a crime spree for which Colonel K charges Penfold with his arrest.
23	-->'''Penfold:''' Arrest him? But...how can I? I was never issued with an initiative. And I wouldn't know how to load it!
24	* ''Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon'':
25	** In ''WesternAnimation/TheAristocats'', we get to see Edgar turn into a villain the minute he realizes he can get all of his madam's wealth if he gets rid of her cats.
26	** Perhaps one of the more tragic examples is Copper from ''WesternAnimation/TheFoxAndTheHound'' turning into a full-on hunting dog, [[AntiVillain while still being a nice person at heart]] and [[WeUsedToBeFriends not wanting to kill his former friend]] Tod the fox. So to say, Copper does not become evil, but he's permanently switched to the side of his spiteful old hunting master, which puts him opposite of Tod, left to fulfill the traditional protagonist role.
27	** Denahi in ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear'', after he thinks a bear killed his brother Kenai (in reality, his brother Kenai was ''[[KarmicTransformation turned]]'' [[ForcedTransformation into a bear]]). He spends most of the film on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge trying to kill Bear!Kenai until the very end where Kenai is transformed back right before his eyes.
28	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Dragamonz}}'' sees Boaragon forcibly undergo one of these after he is captured and brought before [[BigBad Grimserver]] who has him transformed into a Grimwrath.
29	* ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'': [[Characters/TheDragonPrinceViren Viren]] entire character arc in Book One is about how he went from being one of King Harrow's closest friends to TheUsurper who plots to kill the princes.
30	* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' ended up doing this to Jim Starling for the episode "The Duck Knight Returns", albeit in a downplayed manner. He used to portray the ShowWithinAShow version of ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'', but when the show was cancelled (in part, according to WordOfGod, his own incessant demands), his career floundered and led him to making meager public appearances to make ends meet. The guy was already a {{Jerkass}} to being with, but where he truly went evil was when he learned they were making a new ''Darkwing Duck'' movie with someone else in the lead role, causing him to go nuts and try to sabotage the production. A battle between him and his replacement [[spoiler: Drake Mallard]] leads to Starling's apparent demise when he rescues Launchpad from an exploding pylon upon [[HeelRealization realizing how far he'd gone]], but [[spoiler: this only drove Starling, who survived, into further insanity, causing him to become Negaduck]].
31	* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' parodied this in ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddysBigPictureShow'' when, after a misunderstanding caused the other kids to beat up Captain Melonhead (Jonny) and Splinter the Wonder Wood (Plank), they became The Gourd and Timber the Dark Shard to get revenge on the cul-de-sac. Too bad the movie was over.
32	* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace'':
33	** It's revealed in Season 1 that pretty much everyone in the Infinity Guard (Earth's inter-galactic police force) except for Quinn have made one, joining the Lord Commander.
34	** At the end of Season 3, [[spoiler:Ash]] makes one; betraying the entire Team Squad and siding with Invictus, even viciously attacking Mooncake to that end.
35	* A fictional pro wrestling example. In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', Bender becomes a popular robot wrestler named Bender the Offender. After his popularity fades, management turns him into the Gender Bender.
36	* Demona in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', who became obsessed with committing genocide against humans after her clan was massacred.
37	* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', [[TheDragon Shego]] used to be a superhero before becoming a villain. Various other characters have short heel turns, often for a single episode, including Ron at least twice. This is mostly due to the Attitudinator, a HeelFaceTurn[=/=]Face Heel Turn [[AppliedPhlebotinum in a helmet]]. One episode with it caused a HeelFaceRevolvingDoor for everyone but Kim herself.
38	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'', when Toki gets fed up with always being the child friendly one and then starts burning the lair with a flamethrower.
39	* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E25TwilightsKingdomPart1 Twilight's Kingdom -- Part 1]]", Discord is swayed into helping Tirek in exchange for true freedom.
40	** Before then there was Princess Luna's descent into Nightmare Moon during the backstory.
41	** In the season 5 finale, one BadFuture where Nightmare Moon has taken over Equestria shows that Rainbow has become a soldier in her royal guard.
42	** The Season 7 finale villain, Stygian, was once the ComicBook/JimmyOlsen to Starswirl the Bearded's Franchise/{{Superman}}. It was over a thousand years ago that he desired to become a hero like Starswirl and the other Pillars of Equestria, so he borrowed their artifacts of power without asking, intent on creating copies. Unfortunately, the Pillars decided that the theft alone was proof that Stygian was evil, and harshly rejected him. He then made his way to the Well of Shade, embracing the dark powers within and becoming the Pony of Shadows.
43	* The ''WesternAnimation/OhYeahCartoons'' short "Thatta Boy" has Thatta Boy's sidekick Polly decide to become a villain near the end after being disillusioned in the career of crime-fighting. Much to her partner's frustration, her first villainous act is to set free all the criminals he captured.
44	* In the third season of ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'', it's revealed that the once-heroic [[spoiler:Laserblast, a senior member of the hero-team P.O.I.N.T.]], went through this in the past and became a villain.[[spoiler:...the villain currently known as Professor Venomous.]]
45	* Julia, a RecurringCharacter from the ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' segments of ''WesternAnimation/Animaniacs2020'', is an example of a VillainProtagonist undergoing CreateYourOwnVillain. She starts as an ordinary mouse whom Brain makes [[UpliftedAnimal as intelligent as himself]] to be his first lady during a Senatorial bid, but she's such a NiceGirl that the voters choose her as the candidate instead! Between Brain's [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] of Julia's success and her objections to his WellIntentionedExtremist methods, he decides to use a MindControlDevice to make her obey him, but it malfunctions and drives her insane. By her second appearance, she's become Brain's vengeful ArchEnemy who believes that she deserves to TakeOverTheWorld instead of him.
46	* An in Universe example seemingly appears in the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndScrappyDoo''. The Blue Scarab, a comic book super hero, appears to have come to life and is going on a crime spree (Much to the entire gang's confusion and [[BrokenPedestal Scrappy's dismay]].) Of course, as per usual [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Scooby]] fare, it was just a guy in a suit, but until the end the trope was played entirely straight.
47	** [[spoiler: The [[ScoobyDooHoax guy in a suit]] may still qualify. Howard Gruger worked for Jerry Sloan, the creator of the Blue Scarab comics as his assistant, but became tired of being an unknown assistant and wanted to create his own comic book character, so he disguised himself as the Blue Scarab and committed crimes so as to destroy the Scarab and Sloan. Of course, Gruger could have just asked Sloan if he could leave so he could create his own comic book character instead of trying to destroy Sloan and the Blue Scarab, but [[GreenEyedMonster he might also have been jealous of Sloan's fame.]].]]
48	*** This was loosely based on Issue #24 of the Gold Key ''Scooby'' comic story "Mark of the Blue Scarab." The perp in this case was [[spoiler: a comic book scripter who thought he was a better writer than Sloane was an artist, so he goes about terrorizing Sloane.]] Both the comic and the animated episode were written by Mark Evanier.
49	* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'':
50	** Princess Entrapta eventually joins forces with the Horde in Season 1. Not out of malice or hatred; even though her friends left her behind in the Fright Zone, she bears them no ill will. No, she turns because her only motivation is ForScience and the Horde give her a lot more options for experimentation. The fact that her experiments are hurting people never seems to bother her, if she even realizes that's a thing.
51	** Hordak's [[TheDragon second-in-command]] Shadow Weaver was once a mage in Mysticor known as [[MeaningfulRename Light Spinner]]. After dabbling in dark sorcery, she was cast out, and joined the Horde. Season 2 shows that even as Light Spinner she was prideful, ambitious, and deceitful, but she used to have good intentions.
52	* In ''WesternAnimation/SkylandersAcademy'', [[spoiler:[[TheHero Spyro]] is forced to undergo one after having all the light drained from him so Strykore could be freed from his prison, complete with blacker scales, a new voice, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the uncontrollable urge to take up two parking spaces instead of one]].]]
53	* Barnacle Boy in ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', however it's only for one episode over the fact he wasn't allowed to have an adult-sized Krabby Patty.
54	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': [[spoiler: Senate Commando Captain Argyus (in Season 1), Clone Sergeant Slick (in Season 1 as well), Pong Krell (in Season 4), Barriss Offee (Started out as a heroine in Season 2, becomes a baddie in Season 5). Clone Trooper Jesse ends up undergoing this as well in Season 7 (though it's not because he was willing, but due to the enactment of Order 66).]]
55	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheBadBatch'': Crosshair turns on the rest of the Bad Batch after Tarkin increases the effectiveness of his semi-functioning inhibitor chip, leaving him BrainwashedAndCrazy. [[spoiler:He eventually has his chip removed, but chooses to stay with the Empire because he sees no purpose in his life outside of being a soldier and his already ruthless and cold personality meshes well with the new regime.]]
56	* General Modula did this prior to the start of ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan''. He's seen as one of the good guys in the WholeEpisodeFlashback "Shadows of Youth". What made him turn [[CutShort was not answered]].
57	* In ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'', [[spoiler: two different characters betray Rapunzel. The first is Varian after Rapunzel fails to keep her promise to help his father who is encased in a magical amber. The second is Cassandra, who after learning of her true heritage, being Mother Gothel's daughter, steals the Moonstone out from under Rapunzel's nose, takes its power, and abandons the party.]]
58	* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'':
59	** Vernon Fenwick in the first ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 TMNT]]'' series, to a lesser degree. He is originally, for the most part, is an ally to the Turtles, however, at the beginning of the eight season (the first of the infamous Red Sky Era), after the Channel 6 building is destroyed by Shredder, Vernon then sides with Burne Thompson in seeing the Turtles as menaces to society, as they weren't able to save the building in time (and Shredder blew it up because he believed they captured Krang).
60	** In the second ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 TMNT]]'' series, the real Oroku Saki was originally one of a group of warriors that defeated a powerful demon. However Saki [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity absorbed the power]] and became the Tengu Shredder.
61	* Gibbs from Creator/AdultSwim's ''WesternAnimation/TitanMaximum''. His Face-Heel Turn in the first episode generates the conflict for the rest of the series. Unfortunately, it seems that he's perhaps the only character with any shred of competence.
62	* Lightning near the end of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Revenge of the Island'' after accidentally giving Cameron the win in "Eat Puke and Be Wary", upon which he not only TookALevelInJerkAss, but also he replaces Scott as the BigBad.
63	** [[spoiler: Dave in the ''Pahkitew Island'' finale, after finding out that Sky is already in a relationship, upon which his SanitySlippage gets even worse.]]
64	* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
65	** Dinobot in the ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' episode "Maximal No More." He does a HeelFaceTurn back at the end, though, upon realizing that just because everything's going according to Megatron's plans doesn't mean that Megatron isn't a dangerous madman.
66	** This happens to most of the Maximals at one point or another.
67	*** In the episode "Double Jeopardy", Rattrap seemingly defected to the Predacons, though it was quickly revealed to be a ruse. The same episode has Tarantulus subjected a Maximal protoform to re-programming, creating Blackarachnia.
68	*** A couple episodes later in "Gorilla Warfare", Optimus was infected by one of Scorponok's viruses, turning him into a nigh-unstoppable berserker that attacked Maximals and Predacons indiscriminately.
69	*** The episode "Dark Designs" saw Megatron kidnapping and brainwashing Rhinox -- however, Evil!Rhinox was a bit too good at being a bad guy, and nearly usurped Megatron's control of the Predacons. So he changed Rhinox back, and the Maximal was able to escape.
70	*** This returns in the sequel series, ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines''. Rhinox's spark was used to make the Vehicon general Tankor. Even after he regained his memories of who he used to be, Tankor decided to remain evil, and was scarily competent. He did later express regret for his villainous actions, however.
71	*** Tigatron and Airazor, technically speaking- when they were merged by the alien Vok into Tigerhawk, their sparks were not originally in charge of the resultant body. But it was still their body, and the Vok used it to attack both Maximals and Predacons, so...
72	*** Silverbolt was a Maximal protoform who was mutated by transwarp energy, and briefly persuaded to join the Predacon cause after awakening.
73	** In ''Anime/TransformersArmada'', the Autobot Wheeljack used to be Hot Shot's best friend. Until one particular battle, where Wheeljack became trapped under rubble; unable to lift it alone, Hot Shot left to get help, but was kept from returning by an Autobot commander. Instead, Megatron found and rescued Wheeljack, prompting him to switch sides.
74	** Blackarachnia in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' pulls her FaceHeelTurn during the (mainly) flashback episode "Along Came A Spider". We discover that when they were in the Autobot Academy, Elita-1, Sentinel, and Optimus went to an organic planet, even though it was forbidden, and they encountered giant spiders. Escaping from the spiders, Elita used her download power to borrow Optimus's grapplers, but ran out of time, falling into a pit full of the spiders when Optimus failed to catch her with his other grappler. She attempted to use her download power on the spiders, but, the spiders being organic, it turned her into a mutated part-organic, part-mechanical Transformer with one of the spiders as her alt-mode. The new signal type made her impossible for Optimus to pick up on his radar, and led him and Sentinel to believe Elita was dead, and Blackarachnia to believe they abandoned her, and she joined the Decepticons.
75	** Thanks to the [=IDW=] comics and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', this has become an integral part of Megatron's backstory. Once he was a well-meaning revolutionary, but he came to believe that ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption, and became an even worse tyrant than the bots he fought against.
76	*** Transformers Prime also has the ''Orion Pax'' arc -- after using the Matrix to defeat Unicron, Optimus loses some of his memories and reverts to being the archivist known as Orion Pax. Unfortunately, his old friend Megatronus was right there, and convinced him that the Autobots were villains responsible for both the war and Cybertron's destruction. Thankfully, Orion eventually uncovers the ruse.
77	** This is also the backstory of [[PhysicalGod The Fallen]]. He was once a member of the original Primes, but eventually became evil. Whether it was through the influence of Unicron, KnightTemplar tendencies, or the accidental murder of his beloved.
78	* Quacky the Duck on ''WesternAnimation/TUFFPuppy''. He used to be a happy, funny TV show host until his show got cancelled by the network president, driving him to turn evil and get revenge by destroying all television.
79	* In ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'', Zarkon and Honerva went from being heroes to villains due to them being exposed to Quintessence, which initially resulted in their deaths before being brought back to life and ultimately becoming the initial BigBad Emperor Zarkon and DragonInChief Witch Haggar respectively as a result.
80	* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'':
81	** The events of [[Recap/WinxClubS1E8AFriendshipSundered "A Friendship Sundered"]] are all orchestrated by Darcy. As Riven is unaware of it, he decides to switch sides in the hopes of getting appreciated as a team member. So, in [[Recap/WinxClubS1E9Betrayed "Betrayed!"]], he goes on a date with Darcy and allies with the Trix, who are the Winx's (and by extension, his Specialist squad's) enemies.
82	** In the comics, Riven appears to throw all of his CharacterDevelopment to the trash and acts again like a jerk toward everyone, even going as far as skipping his Red Fountain classes. Musa and the Specialists are left befuddled and try to reach out to him. They discover that Riven is [[spoiler:putting on an act to infiltrate a criminal group for an undercover mission]].
83	** During [[Recap/WinxClubS4E25MorganasSecret "Morgana's Secrets"]], [[spoiler:Layla/Aisha]] and Nebula (plus her warrior fairies) are left unsatisfied with the punishment doled to the Wizards of the Black Circle, so they all ally to kill the imprisoned villains. [[spoiler:Layla/Aisha]] is especially incensed and vengeful because of the death of her lover.
84	%%* Elyon Brown in ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}''.
85	* In ''WesternAnimation/WordGirl'' it is sometimes mentioned that Doctor Two-Brains used to work with [=WordGirl=] on the side of good.
86	* Raimundo in the Season 1 finale of ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown''. Shortly into Season 2, he [[HeelFaceTurn reverses it]] and returns to his friends, but not without suffering some consequences and trust issues. Later on, he does it ''again''... but as a BatmanGambit to help the heroes, using his prior earnest heel turn to sell the deception.
87	** Omi undergoes an involuntary turn after coming back from the yin/yang dimension, leaving his good side behind.

Context FaceHeelTurn / WesternAnimation