| 1 | [[quoteright:243:[[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AngelSpawn_1732.jpg]]]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:243:When hell's bells ring, a demonspawn gets its wings.]] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | ->''"No day goes by where I am not tempted to return to my inborn nature. ''Zin krif haalvut se suleyk.''[[labelnote:Translation]]Approximately: "Honor fights the touch of power."[[/labelnote]] What is better? To be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"'' |
| 5 | -->-- '''Paarthurnax''', ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' |
| 6 | |
| 7 | BeingEvilSucks, though not all baddies [[HeelRealization realize]] this or [[ForTheEvulz care]]. What really sucks about it is that those that want to give GoodFeelsGood a try often find it near impossible to [[BecameTheirOwnAntithesis fully pull]] a HeelFaceTurn. This isn't for lack of trying, but because they're a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demon]], vampire, or other AlwaysChaoticEvil critter whose very body is MadeOfEvil. Kinda hard to walk into a temple and pray for {{forgiveness}} when you [[HolyBurnsEvil spontaneously combust]] by crossing the threshold. This is a big reason why [[TheVirus humans turned to monsters]] who [[HeroicWillpower held onto]] [[TranshumanTreachery their humanity]] will angst at their [[{{Hell}} abysmal]] fate. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | So, what to do? {{Fall|enAngel}} [[OppositeTropes in reverse]], and become an Ascended Demon! |
| 10 | |
| 11 | The demon looking to ascend has a few avenues to explore. The most common are to go on a literal or metaphorical quest to FindTheCure. If their "evil nature" is biologically based, like [[OurVampiresAreDifferent viral vampirism]] or [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent hereditary lycanthropy]], finding the recipe for an ancient cure or researching a new one is one possibility. When it's mystical, getting an artifact (usually a holy relic) is another. The metaphorical route requires they try and get a [[GodIsGood benevolent god]] to [[PowersAsPrograms "reformat"]] them [[BecomeARealBoy into a human]] or even angelic body. This often requires doing [[RedemptionQuest lots of good deeds]] or [[EnlightenmentSuperpowers having an epiphany on the nature of good]]. Sometimes, just getting a soul in itself is enough to earn salvation from the NothingAfterDeath and a {{Reincarnation}} as a [[BecomeARealBoy non]]-AlwaysChaoticEvil being. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | There's a fair chance that by [[RedemptionDemotion refusing their evil nature]] they [[DePower lose]] or [[PowerLimiter dampen]] all of those nifty powers, though it also likely removes [[WeaksauceWeakness several]] [[FlawExploitation exploitable]] [[DepletedPhlebotinumShells weaknesses]]. Of course, such a feat may well do the opposite and take the [[{{Curse}} "Suck"]] out of BlessedWithSuck, and make them a [[RedemptionPromotion top tier angel]]. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Though by nature the Ascended Demon will be very rare[[note]](rising from evil is much harder than SlowlySlippingIntoEvil, after all, see Milton's page quote on TheAtoner)[[/note]] it's not uncommon for there to be a {{mentor|Archetype}} who has done this before and is willing to sponsor them, or more tragically, ''failed'' and wants them to succeed as a redemption by proxy. If they really ''are'' the first to pull it off, an author might {{invert|edTrope}} the LastOfHisKind and have the Ascended Demon [[MonstersAnonymous redeem some or all of their peers]] and reveal they were GoodAllAlong. This is especially poignant if the demons were once [[FallenAngel angels who fell.]] Expect an EnemyCivilWar to follow as demon-kind is divided between "loyalists" and "redemptionists". In fact, just check out the FallenAngel page; it has ''far'' more examples than this one does. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | It's not all rainbows and lollipops, though. Aside from the fear of backsliding into evil, the Ascended Demon has made enemies of his former kind,[[note]](which might not be much worse for them since they're AlwaysChaoticEvil, remember?)[[/note]] and likely faces the [[ReformedButRejected distrust]] of the good guys at the chance they're a FalselyReformedVillain. On the whole, Ascended Demons are a good way to avoid/avert TheUsualAdversaries and change the situation that states AlwaysChaoticEvil races are completely irredeemable. It's usually used to provide AnAesop that ''everyone'' can earn {{forgiveness}}. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | Not to be confused with [[DemonOfHumanOrigin ascending (descending?) to demonhood]]. Compare GrewBeyondTheirProgramming, when [=AIs=] or robots ascend to a more humanlike level of emotion and development. If faith redeems a human, see HeelFaithTurn. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | ---- |
| 22 | !!Examples: |
| 23 | |
| 24 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 25 | |
| 26 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 27 | * ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Sosuke Hinojiki was originally a mindless [[SapientEatSapient people-eating]] BlobMonster, which didn't stop when he gained [[BishonenLine humanoid form]] and intelligence. However, [[HumanityIsInfectious contact with]] [[AllLovingHero Suzu]] caused him to start empathizing with others [[VegetarianVampire too much to see them as food]]. Suzu and Matsuri end up destroying the part of Sosuke he used to eat people, after which he ceases hungering and makes his purpose in life [[TheAtoner making up for those he's killed]]. |
| 28 | * Chrono from ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' is a demon, but he fights on the side of good, even working for a ChurchMilitant group. |
| 29 | * All the main demons in ''Literature/TheDevilIsAPartTimer'' quickly find that, once traveling to Earth and [[HumanityEnsues becoming human]], they can live quite happy lives just going about as normal humans would. The protagonist, Satan, discovers that his charismatic personality and ability to lead make him the perfect assistant manager at the local [[BlandNameProduct MgRonald's]], and his roommates/former generals, Ashiya and Lucifer, take time to work as house-caretaker/errand runner and token emo friend, respectively. Ironically, the only characters portrayed as actually malicious are the CorruptChurch leaders, and the Archangel Sarue, who captures and tortures Emilia for believing she has come to sympathize with the Devil once she arrived on Earth (which he was right about). Satan ends up saving her with the help of Church assassin, Crestia, and they all [[GodKartingWithBeelzebub begrudgingly learn to get along]]. |
| 30 | * ''Anime/DigimonTamers'': Impmon's FromNobodyToNightmare story turned him from a weak SmallNameBigEgo into a BadassBiker. Not just a regular biker, but one who is known as one of the Seven Great Demon Lords, Beelzebumon. And a HeroKiller as well. However, after getting his life spared by the person whose Digimon he has killed and then being brought back to the Real World by the people he just betrayed and almost killed, Impmon gets the chance to reunite and reconcile with his two partners he had left prior to the beginning of the series. With ThePowerOfFriendship and ThePowerOfLove, Beelzebumon changes into his Blast Mode, his true Ultimate Level.[[note]]Not to be confused with the Ultimate Level in the English dub, which is known as Perfect Level in Japan.[[/note]] Beelzebumon Blast Mode has black, angel-like wings and his {{red eyes|TakeWarning}} turn green, the same color he has as Impmon, symbolizing his ascension to a NobleDemon. Also, the same expanded lore that indicates Beelzebumon as the Demon Lord of Gluttony explicitly states Blast Mode is a form separate from anything related to the Seven Great Demon Lords, further indicating this. |
| 31 | * ''Manga/GabrielDropOut'' has Vignette, who despite being a devil is also incredibly kind and responsible in contrast to her friends [[TheSlacker Gabriel]], [[TheGadfly Raphiel]] and [[{{Chuunibyou}} Satanichia]] (and indeed, is the moral center of their group). Her attempts at being "evil" come across as [[PokeThePoodle incredibly childish]] and she herself ''enjoys'' doing good deeds and constantly does them. On more than one occasion she's even been shown to have a ''vastly'' more prominent divine aura than either of her angel friends. |
| 32 | * Meliodas from ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'' is the Demon King's son, and was once considered the biggest candidate to replace him, but during the war between the Demon Clan and all the other Clans he turned on his people and helped to seal them. Ever since, he has been living in Britannia, trying to help people if possible and watching out for any sign that the Demons may return to help stop them. |
| 33 | * The Aburatori of ''Literature/TheZashikiWarashiOfIntellectualVillage'' is one of the most evil Youkai in existence as it represents the parents who secretly murdered their children and the rumors surrounding them. However the Aburatori in-story [[TragicMonster hated hurting children]] and was able to become a Kaeshigami by resisting his instincts to kill for nine years. In his new form he became a minor deity who protected children. |
| 34 | [[/folder]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 37 | * In the first appearance of [[Characters/GLOtherLanternCorps Nekron]] in ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'', one of his minions demonstrates great courage and disagrees with his boss' invasion of the living universe. He "ascends" to become a Green Lantern that's free of Nekron's influence. |
| 38 | * Though ComicBook/{{Hellboy}} never becomes fully human or loses his demon heritage, he's a very persistent AntiAntichrist. To the point that in one story his spilled blood [[FertileBlood sprouts lilies.]] [[spoiler: This may be what happens to him at the end of ''HellboyInHell'' after he destroys Hell itself, though it's [[GainaxEnding hard to say]] for sure]]. |
| 39 | * ''ComicBook/{{Batman}} & {{Dracula}}: [[ComicBook/BatmanVampire Red Rain]]'' had this happen to vampires- Batman is completely unharmed by crucifixes and holy water so long as he never drinks human blood- although Joker's OhCrap reaction was a bit {{narm}}y. |
| 40 | * ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'' once cast off his BadassCape for a pair of wings when he became a PhysicalGod and stopped Armageddon. [[StatusQuoIsGod Soon afterwards he gave up the power and went back to being a brooding demonic antihero]]. |
| 41 | * [[Creator/MarkMillar Mark Millar's]] first comic, ''Saviour'' is about the Devil coming to Earth posing as Jesus. A second less successful Jesus turns out to be a fallen angel who thinks he can go back to Heaven if he stops the Devil. |
| 42 | [[/folder]] |
| 43 | |
| 44 | [[folder:Fan Fiction]] |
| 45 | * In ''Fanfic/ManchesterLost'', A ''Literature/GoodOmens'' fic, [[spoiler: NobleDemon Crowley]] becomes this through ThePowerOfLove. [[spoiler: He reverts back in the sequel, ''Fanfic/ParadiseThwarted''. Opposites attract etc.]] |
| 46 | * In the supercrossover military fanfiction series, ''FanFic/TheTerminatorsArmyOfLegend'', Necrodusk, a high ranking "archdemon" born into series' central protagonist Alex Vaughn is awakened by a fallen comrade during a vicious HoldTheLine battle that was pitting the small ten to twenty member Alpha Company against an encircling division of nearly a thousand LKA (the main antagonistic force of Volumes I and II). With Necrodusk possessing Alex, transforming him into an EldritchAbomination, they wasted the division and held until reinforcements could arrive. With Necrodusk now awakened from his slumber, he often served as a secondary, more sinister conscience for Alex until gradually growing to befriend his host, even going so far as to reconsider his morality. One of Alex's comrades, Terrias, is slain in battle, and the duo are forced to undergo a hellish gladiatorial-style stay in the Devil's Arena. They escape, and as {{Satan}} is about to close the gateway out of Hell, Necrodusk jumps to the rescue to fend them off, allowing Alex and Terrias the time they needed to make their escape back to Earth, following with his call, "I have seen the light". When another antagonistic force, the [[LegionOfDoom ''Caeda'' Militia]], travel to Installation 02 of the Halo array to resurrect old enemies of the Terminator Militia, Necrodusk is released from his prison, returning to his host, having abandoned his demonic ways, desiring to regain his grace. [[spoiler:It is later discovered that he is one half of the [[TheGrimReaper one true Reaper]], the Archangel Messorem, the other half being reincarnated into Alex, and that a [[TheProphecy prophecy]] states that Messorem will be reformed and brought back into Heaven to usher in the apocalypse.]] |
| 47 | * Used in the ''[[https://www.tthfanfic.org/Series-1183 Coven of Reformed Supernaturals]]'' series, specifically in the second story ''[[https://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-17637/MarcusSLazarus+The+Gathering+of+Supernatural+Psychopaths.htm The Gathering of Supernatural Psychopaths]]''; Cole Turner of ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'', who was [[FutureMeScaresMe both the main villain and founding member of the Coven]] in the first story, is brought back to life in ''Gathering'' as a 'Goldlighter', essentially a warrior version of Whitelighters who are intended to actively fight evil rather than just advise others. |
| 48 | [[/folder]] |
| 49 | |
| 50 | [[folder:Film]] |
| 51 | * ''Film/DarkAngelTheAscent'': Veronica is a young demoness who runs away from her family in Hell to experience what life is like on Earth. Upon arrival she becomes essentially human, at least in appearance. |
| 52 | * In ''Film/TheDeathsOfIanStone'' the Harvesters aren't really evil per se... but being extra-dimensional spirits that live off fear, and have long ago become addicted to the fear of a human facing death (and the easiest way to get that is to kill people), they are pretty close to AlwaysChaoticEvil. However [[spoiler:a renegade Harvester has found an alternate power source capable of killing the other evil Harvesters... [[ThePowerOfLove Love]]]]. |
| 53 | * The villains in ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', Bartleby and Loki, are two fallen angels who ''try'' to do this. Unfortunately, their means of getting back into Heaven involves a mix of LoopholeAbuse and exploiting a [[CorruptChurch corrupt cardinal]], and if successful, they'd bring about the end of the world. |
| 54 | * ''Film/GhostRiderSpiritOfVengeance'': [[spoiler:A variation of sorts. Johnny learns that the spirit of vengeance he harbors was actually once an angel of justice. However, it was captured and tortured in Hell, becoming the vengeful spirit it was. Johnny is able to get it to move past that and thus gaining some new capabilities, like HealingHands]]. |
| 55 | * In ''Film/{{Noah}},'' a group of demons known as the [[spoiler:Watchers, former angels who have been cast out of Heaven and encased in stone for their transgressions, help build the ark. When it is completed and they are defending the ark from an attack by Cain's descendants]], God calls them home and they shoot into the sky, becoming angels again. |
| 56 | * ''Film/WarmBodies'' has R and the zombies who witness or hear about his loving and being loved by a human reject their zombie nature and want something different, trying to make peace with humanity. [[spoiler: This amazingly rekindles their emotional, mental, and ''physical'' humanity, and they start to come back to life. The "makes enemies of their former kind" part kicks in when the "Bonies"-- zombies who have surrendered to their cursed existence or even embraced and thus little more than black skeletons-- start seeing them as food because of their return to the ranks of the living.]] |
| 57 | [[/folder]] |
| 58 | |
| 59 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 60 | * Creator/SimonRGreen's ''[[Literature/{{Nightside}} Tales from the Nightside]]'' series has Pretty Poison, an angel who fell to become a succubus and then re-ascended to angel. |
| 61 | * In ''Literature/{{The Guardians|MeljeanBrook}}'', [[spoiler: Lilith]] is a human-demon hybrid bound to serve [[{{Satan}} Lucifer]], but through ThePowerOfLove she manages to renounce her demonic side and Ascend to full humanity. |
| 62 | * According to the ''Literature/ArsGoetia'', several demons listed in it aspire to become this, and actually delude themselves into thinking they'll succeed, after a set amount of hellish penance. Given that these demons also usually [[ScienceIsBad teach mankind various sciences and natural wonders when summoned]], one has to wonder if there's some form of cosmic irony in play, there... |
| 63 | * In the ''Literature/DisgaeaNovels'', this happens to [[spoiler: Vyers/Midboss]]. |
| 64 | * While operating as a sort of NobleDemon to begin with, [[EmotionEater Extirpon]] in ''The Gerosha Chronicles'' views himself as an ascended demon when he unlocks the ''other half'' of his Marlquaanite abilities - the ability to heal others when charging up positive energy. With negative emotional energy from others, he was only able to heal himself, and otherwise had only the power to destroy, humiliate, and undermine. His blue-purple glow effects switch over to glowing white and gold when channeling his "positive battery." |
| 65 | * In Tolkien's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'', the Maia (angel) Ossë had thrown in his lot with [[{{Satan}} Melkor]], but eventually repented and returned to the good side. The book doesn't make clear just "how far" he fell, since he was not one of those who fell right at the beginning during the Ainulindalë. Nevertheless, he was fighting with the demons against the angels for a while there but before there was any life to be hurt by him. Though in most ways he tried to make Arda 100% compatible with Catholicism, Tolkien explicitly disagreed with the idea that anyone could be truly irredeemable. |
| 66 | * In the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' series, the [[spoiler: Lone Power Itself]] eventually gets redeemed... but since as one of the PowersThatBe It's outside time, Its evil iterations continue to exist and cause trouble in the series even after Its redemption. |
| 67 | * A variation in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': [[spoiler: Harry briefly touches and rejects a coin possessed by the FallenAngel Lasciel, who cannot fully possess him but leaves a "shadow" in his mind to try and corrupt him into fully accepting the coin. However, while Lasciel herself is eternal, unchangeable and irredeemable, the sentient image that is left in Harry's mind is only as unchanging as the mortal brain she inhabits, and over the course of several years she changes and develops a personality of her own. She eventually comes to care for Harry so much that she performs a HeroicSacrifice with a psychic version of TakingTheBullet. There is no record of this ever happening before because either those events were never recorded or the records were destroyed, leading to the general idea that all previous shadows have managed to tempt their hosts into fully accept the coin in such a short time that the shadow has no chance to change, but Harry is too much of a {{Determinator}} to be broken that easily]]. |
| 68 | * ''Literature/GoodOmens'' sees the demon Anthony Crowley desperately consider defecting and asking for political asylum in Heaven after offending Hell. |
| 69 | * ''[[Literature/GodsDemon God's Demon]]'' is about a fallen Seraph seeking God's forgiveness in order to return to Heaven. |
| 70 | [[/folder]] |
| 71 | |
| 72 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 73 | * ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and ''Series/{{Angel}}'': |
| 74 | ** Angel wanted to be this, and he ''does'' have some traits of it, being TheChosenOne of the PowersThatBe. |
| 75 | ** Spike arguably became this as he voluntarily chose to have his soul restored (whereas Angel's was forced upon him and always forced back in unwillingly when he loses it). The comic continuation of the series further reinforces this: vampires (apart from the ensouled Spike and Angel) are established to be AlwaysChaoticEvil due to a lack of a soul but after temporarily losing his own soul, Spike ''remains good'' and only does not take his soul back (initially) because he wanted to give it to someone else. |
| 76 | * Not a good idea if you're a demon in ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}''. Cole tried this, and he died. Kyra also tried this, and she also died. Finally, Drake also tried this, and he was successful, for a year. Then he died (although this was part of the terms of the deal that made him human in the first place). Though, Cole's HeelFaceRevolvingDoor and DeathIsCheap situations make him a bit more complex. Cole tried this, and he died, ''and then it got really, really complicated.'' However, in the very end, [[spoiler: his ascension is pretty clearly complete]]. |
| 77 | %%* ''Series/ForeverKnight'', sometimes. |
| 78 | * ''Series/TheGoodPlace'' has [[spoiler:Michael]] attempting to become one in Season Two, in much the same way that Eleanor aimed to grow as a person throughout Season One. [[spoiler:By the end of "Rhonda, Diana, Jake and Trent," he's certainly succeeded from a moral standpoint, though he hasn't yet been allowed to formally defect to The Good Place. In Season 3, he may actually have become ''better'' than the Good Place operators, since he's the only one who seems to care that the system has become so dysfunctional that nobody has been rated as "worthy" of the Good Place in five hundred years. Comes to completion by the end of Season 4, as he is not only allowed to enter the Good Place but he is actually ''put in charge''.]] |
| 79 | * ''Series/{{Reaper}}'' had a group of demons (all Fallen Angels) who were trying to overthrow Lucifer through being nice. When they decided to stop playing the long game and just kill TheDevil, Steve was the one dissenter who pointed out that it defeated the entire point. When the devil [[CurbStompBattle shows up and kills the entire army]], Steve apparently ascended to angelhood after death, though the finale indicates that angels [[GoodIsNotNice can be pretty ruthless when they need to be]]. |
| 80 | * Season 3 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' introduces us to Ruby, a demon from hell who becomes an unlikely ally to the Winchesters, claiming that she remembers what it was like to be a human. [[spoiler: This is later subverted in Season 4, however as it's revealed that she had been using them all along for personal gain.]] In later seasons, the demon Meg returns and winds up in an EnemyMine situation with the Winchesters and Castiel. After developing a crush/love for Castiel, she winds up [[spoiler: dying so they can fight another day]]. |
| 81 | ** In an indirect way is also possible in the Supernatural verse. Demons are actually [[DemonOfHumanOrigin human souls profoundly corrupted by their torture in Hell]], and a plot point of a later season is a ritual that can purify demons. Another plot point is that normal human souls can be converted into new angels, so while it never occurs it is possible to purify a demon back into a human soul and then convert that soul into an angel. |
| 82 | [[/folder]] |
| 83 | |
| 84 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 85 | * The PowerMetal band Music/RhapsodyOfFire uses this trope too in their epic saga that covers a total of nine studio albums and some extended plays. [[HalfHumanHybrid Half Demon]] Dargor is at first loyal to the [[EvilOverlord Dark Lord]] Akron, but upon realizing how much of a dark lord Akron really is, Dargor opposes him and saves the day in the first story arc. Then, in the second story arc, he is part of the RagtagBunchOfMisfits and in the end [[spoiler:he truly ascends, his body merging with an Angel's soul so that "a god of cosmic light" would "breathe upon the Earth... again"]]. |
| 86 | [[/folder]] |
| 87 | |
| 88 | [[folder:Mythology and Religion]] |
| 89 | * Abrahamic religions: |
| 90 | ** As UsefulNotes/{{Judaism}} has a much different understanding of demons compared to the other Abrahamic faiths, the concept of redeemed demons does not exist in it; fallen angels are not necessarily evil, and many still are considered part of the heavenly host. |
| 91 | ** According to traditional [[UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} Christian]] churches, such as Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, [[AvertedTrope this is an impossibility]]. Demons (or rather {{Fallen Angel}}s) are irredeemable not because they ''can't'' be redeemed, but because they do not ''want'' to. The reason for that is that angels are purely spiritual beings of a [[SuperIntelligence higher intelligence]], not bound by the limitations of the flesh. While humans who commit sins have the excuse of being [[PunyEarthlings weak and fleshy]], as [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody their emotions and bodily urges sometimes get the best of them]] as a consequence of original sin, angels ''always'' have [[PrescienceByAnalysis an absolutely clear understanding of their actions and their consequences]]. Therefore, when an angel does evil, he does it ''only'' out of [[ForTheEvulz pure malice and selfishness]], and is already past the MoralEventHorizon; he will never wish to repent because otherwise, he would not have sinned in the first place. That is not always the case in folk Christianity, however. |
| 92 | ** In UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}, there are two kinds of demonic entities. The first, ''shayāṭīn'', are irredeemable, as they are MadeOfEvil created by [[{{Satan}} Iblis]] and, like Islamic angels, have no free will. However, most demonic beings, including Iblis himself ([[DependingOnTheWriter probably]]), are [[OurGeniesAreDifferent ''jinn'']], which ''do'' have free will, and can turn to good much like humans. In fact, according to Islamic tradition, there are many jinn who are perfectly good and pious Muslims. |
| 93 | * The 17th-century ''Lemegeton'' and 19th-century ''Dictionnaire Infernal'' (both demonology books) depict Marchosias, a literal NobleDemon looking to achieve this trope. Amy, another demon featured in the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'', the ''Dictionnaire Infernal'', the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', and the ''Munich Manual of Demonic Magic'', has the identical goal. However, in both cases, the books describes their hopes to be impossible. |
| 94 | * Meridiana was a [[SuccubiAndIncubi succubus]] believed to help Sylvester II become the Pope. This claim is from ''De nugis curialium'', a satirical work by a Walter Map, so it was most likely intended to be defamatory. However, since his time as head of the Catholic Church is best known for cracking down on Simony, promoting scientific studies, building musical instruments such as a hydrological organ, and teaching grammar, a number of his fans concluded that if Meridiana helped put him in power, she was a benevolent succubus. |
| 95 | * From UsefulNotes/{{Buddhis|m}}t traditions [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hariti Hariti]] or Kishimojin was a demon turned goddess. She was originally a demon with [[MotherOfAThousandYoung one hundred children]] who would [[ChildEater prey upon the children]]. The specifics vary by telling but in the Buddha managed to make her realize the suffering she caused and got her to change her ways. Afterwards she ate only pomegranates and became a goddess who protected children and helped mothers give birth safely. |
| 96 | * In many versions of Myth/ArthurianLegend, Myth/{{Merlin}} was the son of a human woman and an incubus (a kind of demon) and would have been doomed to a life of evil if his mother had not immediately taken him to be baptized. He then of course went on to be a hero and used his magical powers for good. |
| 97 | * One view of the Mexican folk saint/deity [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Muerte Santa Muerte]] is that she is a fallen angel seeking redemption. |
| 98 | [[/folder]] |
| 99 | |
| 100 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 101 | * The first season finale of ''Podcast/BrimstoneValleyMall'' reveals that [[spoiler:Hornblas has turned his back on Hell and is now working for Heaven... and he's here to kickstart the Reckoning]]. |
| 102 | [[/folder]] |
| 103 | |
| 104 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 105 | * ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': Demons are embodiments of Black mana; while for the most part they're not interested in concepts like [[AboveGoodAndEvil "redemption"]], one of Black's core beliefs is that anyone can be whatever they want to be. This is best illustrated in ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheNameless'', where some of the demons under Davriel Cane's entourage are perfectly fine with finding new purpose in their lives beyond their inherent soul-stealing one. |
| 106 | * ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': |
| 107 | ** The sourcebook ''Book of Exalted Deeds'', about good-aligned characters, has a chapter on forgiveness. It features an orc chieftain sparing a girl's village because she had saved his life years earlier and a good-aligned [[{{Cthulhumanoid}} illithid]]. The book also contains the ''sanctify the wicked'' spell, which slowly transforms an evil creature into a "sanctified" version of themselves with a good alignment and [[BeautyEqualsGoodness more gentle appearance]]; they [[RedemptionDemotion lose most of their powers in the process]] but can shoot rays of holy energy. |
| 108 | ** Other redeemed illithids include the ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' character Estriss, and obsessive AdventurerArchaeologist (LawfulNeutral with some Good tendency), and the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' character Sangalor of the Secrets, an outcast from his city and a priest of the LawfulNeutral god Ogma. |
| 109 | ** A web article has a [[SuccubiAndIncubi succubus]] [[KnightInShiningArmor paladin]] named Eludecia. [[https://web.archive.org/web/20160123033754/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fc/20050824a Here are the stats]], and [[https://web.archive.org/web/20141016025810/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20061017a here is the adventure]]. Notably, not only does she [[RedemptionDemotion refuse to use her "evil" powers]], but as a being who is LawfulGood but [[MadeOfEvil Made Of]] ChaoticEvil she counts as every alignment at the same time, and thus suffers from both GoodHurtsEvil ''and'' AllergicToEvil (and [[OrderVersusChaos Chaos Hurts Law and Law Hurts Chaos]]). BeingGoodSucks indeed. |
| 110 | ** One of the many nicknames for TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'s Lady of Pain is "The fiend of blades", started by someone with the theory she is an ascended fiend. Given that he wasn't [[DeaderThanDead flayed]] (like people who give... less than flattering nicknames) and lived long enough to die of natural causes, this indicates there isn't really an issue with the term. (In ''Pages of Pain'' she remembered being a daughter of [[spoiler:Akadi and Poseidon and Set's fiancé]]. That is, the Lady is a born Power, has the Pain sphere/domain as a gift, and would be a goddess if she didn't refuse to. However, the book's canonicity has been questioned since it was first published, and if it ever was canon at any point it's definitely no longer the case.) |
| 111 | ** In [[http://www.candlekeep.com/compendium/index.htm The Candlekeep Compendium]], there is a certain Erinyes [[spoiler: who is rescued by a gnome adventurer as a mission from a ChaoticGood deity]]. |
| 112 | ** There was a chant about the agathinon Janarr and erinyes Nalura working in mortal disguise on the Prime. They [[DuelOfSeduction sort of]] just did their jobs -- she tried to seduce him, he tried to turn her attitude up to [[ThePowerOfLove celestial standards]]. Before they knew whom exactly they faced, ''both'' succeeded. They [[StarCrossedLovers had to hide from their respective bosses]] from that point on, though. |
| 113 | ** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'': The Kalashtar all have a soul-bond to an ascended EldritchAbomination, which works on the same general principle. Note that, due to all true immortals having ResurrectiveImmortality, this is the ''only'' way to get rid of an evil outsider permanently. There are always the same number of demons and devils and so on in the universe, so redeeming one (and preventing it from getting killed and reborn as evil again) is the only way to actually make a difference in the ForeverWar. |
| 114 | ** K'rand Vahlix is a ''general'' of the Risen Fiends who have fled to the various Upper Planes, organizing them into the Celestial Hosts, and is so powerful and [[GoodHurtsEvil good-aligned]] that he is completely unafraid of any {{Deep Cover Agent}}s that might assassinate him, which is the main obstacle to most Risen Fiends associating with each other. |
| 115 | ** In [[TabletopGame/BaldursGateDescentIntoAvernus Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus]], it's possible to come across a chaotic good bearded devil, though his alignment change is due to brain damage and if properly healed he'll go back to being lawful evil. [[spoiler: On a more major note, you can redeem [[FallenAngel the archdevil Zariel]], though whether that makes her an arisen fiend or just a normal angel is a matter of semantics.]] |
| 116 | ** The ''WebVideo/CriticalRole''-inspired sourcebook ''Explorer's Guide to Wildemount'' has a section on Naviask, a powerful Balor demon who once tried to destroy the Feywild, but was transformed in a fey by the magic of Queen Titania. He now works to repair parts of the natural world that have been destroyed or corrupted. |
| 117 | ** A downplayed version in the third party setting ''TabletopGame/{{Brancalonia}}'', the local Tiefling analogue playable race, the Malebranche, aren't mortal-fiend hybrids, they're devils who underwent a ritual that strips them of most of their malevolence and power and lets them stay in the mortal world because they were sick and tired of capital E evil. |
| 118 | ** Nusemnee was the daughter of the evil god Zehir and a fiend (such a being would be classified as an Infernal Abomination according to the Epic Level Handbook), but after a mission to assassinate a high priest of Pelor resulted in her capture, the high priest healed and forgave her. She became intrigued by this and her association and eventual death in the completion of the high priest's mission resulted in her deification as the good-aligned goddess of redemption. Unfortunately, Zehir took issue and had her assassinated. |
| 119 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': |
| 120 | ** There's a whole race of [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Celestials]], called the Peri, who are either {{Fallen Angel}}s who managed to redeem themselves or the children thereof. They take the form of albino humans with huge wings of flames that mimic the appearance of feathers. |
| 121 | ** The ''Wrath of the Righteous'' Adventure Path features Arueshalae, a succubus who seduced a cleric and then entered her dying dream, only to come face-to-face with an angry Desna, the goddess the cleric had worshipped. Desna, deciding to ''not'' obliterate the demon, instead reached inside of her and basically turned her old mortal soul back on, allowing her to remember her mortal life and what it was like to have morality and empathy. This doesn't automatically turn her Good -- she's ChaoticNeutral at the start of the adventure, which is still a step up from ChaoticEvil -- but it gives an opening for the players to finish the job, and she herself is eager to finish her HeelFaceTurn. If a character picks the "Chance Encounter" campaign trait, her first good deed was to save said character as a child. |
| 122 | ** Nocticula, the demon lord of lust, succubi and assassins -- Arueshalae's old boss, in fact -- herself became this in the shift from the game's 1st to 2nd edition. In the process of engineering her rise to full godhood, she shifted her alignment from ChaoticEvil to ChaoticNeutral, forsook the Abyss and her demonic nature and became a deity of art and outcasts. She grants her Evangelist followers the ability to make outsiders they fight aware that they do not need to follow the path of their kind, allowing them to foster similar turns among other fiends -- although they can cause [[FaceHeelTurn Face-Heel Turns]] among celestials just as easily. |
| 123 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Ponyfinder}}'': The war god Blaze used to be a demon who grew intrigued by mortals and frustrated by their seeming inability to defend or stand up for themselves, and became increasingly involved in trying to browbeat them into growing spines until their belief turned her into a deity. |
| 124 | * ''TabletopGame/PrometheanTheCreated'' is a variant. While not necessarily (or even usually) evil, the titular Prometheans are profoundly ''unnatural'', to the point where their very presence poisons the land they walk and the minds of those with whom they interact. As such, their primary goal in life is to complete the Pilgrimage and [[ToBecomeHuman be reborn as true human beings]]. |
| 125 | * ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': This is one theory in-universe for the ultimate goal of [[MeaningfulName Fallen Angel Cypher, formerly of the Dark Angels Space Marines legion]]. On the tabletop he's been able to fight for both chaos and the emperor, and in the lore one conjecture for his cutting a path through the imperium towards holy terra is that he plans to return the [[ReforgedBlade Sword of his former Primarch]] to the Emperor as a token of forgiveness and cease to be a Fallen Angel. |
| 126 | * ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'': The Celestant-Prime can redeem souls from the corruption of Chaos with Ghal-Maraz, the Nurglite Chaos Lord Torglug the Despised being the first Champion of Chaos to be redeemed and added to the ranks of the Stormcast Eternals, as Tornus the Redeemed of the Hallowed Knights. |
| 127 | * In ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'' the demon Okura no Oni affected the honor of the Lion Clan through Kitsu Okura, and at Oblivion's Gate slew her father, Akuma no Oni. She ascended to become the Guardian of Tengoku and she is now seen guarding the Gates of the Celestial Heavens. |
| 128 | * In ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'' the fabled state of Golconda allows a vampire to transcend just about every physical and spiritual weakness of vampirism. The EnemyWithin is muzzled, blood requirement drops to almost nothing, and various caps and restrictions vanish. Tellingly, the vampire is immune to Diablerie... their soul is no longer tied to their blood/body and can't be eaten. |
| 129 | ** In ''[[TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem Vampire the Requiem]]'' the above is one of three suggested outcomes for reaching Golconda. The best one is a return to humanity. The worst one? Complete balance with the EnemyWithin... which means the vampire is in perfect harmony with a remorseless gluttonous raging monster. |
| 130 | * Another ''World of Darkness'' gameline with this possibility is ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen''. The titular demons have the choice to either try to recover their lost grace by reaching [[KarmaMeter zero torment]] (only possible with RP, no game system allows that) or spurning their newfound humanity and chance at redemption by SlowlySlippingIntoEvil. Unlike Vampire, Demons who eschew use of their demonic powers and OneWingedAngel form are at a disadvantage compared to their morally laxer peers. |
| 131 | * Fan gameline ''TabletopGame/LeviathanTheTempest'' has the School of Thunder. The titular Leviathans are [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]] straight out of Lovecraft, {{Kaiju}} with the power of gods who rip reality a new one just by existing and MindRape any humans who get too close into lunatic cultists. Some Leviathans revel in their status as [[GodOfEvil Gods of Evil]], while others try their best to minimize the harm they do and keep their cultists under control, and still others play the benevolent tyrant and try to convince themselves that their dominion is a good thing for their cults. [[TakeAThirdOption In contrast to all of the above]], the School of Thunder are those Leviathans who devote themselves to the service of a higher power, hoping by loyal service to receive forgiveness for their nature and to be reborn as humans. [[ThrowTheDogABone And the sourcebook explicitly confirms that some of them do get their miracle and achieve humanity.]] |
| 132 | * In the ''Mystic China'' sourcebook for the ''TabletopGame/NinjasAndSuperspies'' RPG from Creator/PalladiumBooks there's a literal Ascended Demon class, where as you gain levels you lose demonic traits and gain human traits until if one survives all the pitfalls the character will be reborn as a human being with only dim memories of its former life. |
| 133 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' features two possible examples of this: |
| 134 | ** The Abyssals are Exalted by [[EldritchAbomination the Neverborn]], who corrupted Solar shards to serve death and the Void. Thing is, underneath all that necrotic taint, there's ''still'' a glimmer of innate Solar nature. It may very well be possible for an Abyssal to seek redemption and become a Solar again... and if that happens, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain then they don't have to deal with that pesky]] [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Great Curse]]. |
| 135 | ** The Infernals are similarly corrupted Solars, only their shards were tinkered with by [[TheLegionsOfHell the Yozis]] as part of a scheme to escape from Malfeas by making Creation just as bad. Infernals don't have innate [[FunctionalMagic Charms]] as other Exalts do, but instead have a direct connection to their Yozi patrons that allows them to use their magic. There's just one problem that the Yozis didn't entirely consider -- that relationship may go ''both ways''. So, with enough time and effort, an Infernal could possibly ''convert one of the demonic masters of Creation to good''. |
| 136 | *** Alternatively, Infernals using the right Heretic Charms can redesign themselves into Primordials 2.0, taking and improving the designs that the Yozis used before being ripped inside out, castrated, and imprisoned. The resulting being ''literally'' [[MentalWorld containing worlds]] and [[IAmLegion having multiple souls]]. It doesn't require the character to [[PureIsNotGood be good]], or even [[BlueAndOrangeMorality define good]], but it does involve long periods of spiritual meditation and reformatting one's own souls, and it's hard to get worse than being one fifth Ebon Dragon, the [[EvilIsPetty Cosmic Principle of Dickishness]]. |
| 137 | ** Sidereals with access to Greater Astrology Charms actually have one, An End to Darkness, that allows them to hand this out willy-nilly. If they find a demon that wants to leave the service of Hell, they can cast this Charm and transform them into a god that will serve Heaven. The only downsides are that other demons will be out for that god's blood, and the Sidereal takes a large amount of [[WeirdnessCensor Paradox]] in the process. |
| 138 | * Interestingly, the infamous SoBadItsGood game ''TabletopGame/{{World Of Synnibarr}}'' has this as the origins of its [[OurAngelsAreDifferent "angels"]]: they are all "devils" that decided to start helping out the mortal races instead. It actually manages to [[ItMakesSenseInContext make sense in context]]. |
| 139 | * This is possible in ''TabletopGame/InNomine'', but difficult - it requires the direct intervention of an Archangel, and is very painful, and sometimes results in death for the demon trying to ascend. |
| 140 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'' has the Reformed Demon class from the ''China 2'' {{Sourcebook}}. These are lesser demons who have been captured by a special brand of demon hunter, and convinced to give up their demonic ways. The process of reforming slowly turns the demon into a human, which means they are perhaps the only character class in RPG history that becomes ''weaker'' as they gain levels. However, after a certain point they gain access to Mystic Martial Arts, which compensates for their lack of demonic powers. |
| 141 | * In ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'', this is implied to be the case with [[https://yugioh.fandom.com/wiki/St._Joan St. Joan]], a holy warrior created by fusing the corrupted demonic angel [[https://yugioh.fandom.com/wiki/Darklord_Marie Darklord Marie]] with [[https://yugioh.fandom.com/wiki/The_Forgiving_Maiden The Forgiving Maiden]]. |
| 142 | [[/folder]] |
| 143 | |
| 144 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 145 | * The player character in ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' is eventually revealed to be (one of many) children of Bhaal, the late God of Murder. As [[Franchise/BaldursGate the series]] goes on, both the Bhaalspawn part of you and other characters try to get you to embrace your heritage and become a proper successor to the lord of murder (even to the point of giving you a SuperpoweredEvilSide that drains your Reputation every time you use it.) It's up the player whether they actually do this, or fight on the side of good instead. |
| 146 | * Cthulhu in ''VideoGame/CthulhuSavesTheWorld'' was initially forced into becoming this, setting out to save the world so he could later conquer it. However by the end of the game he's grown to like being a good guy. |
| 147 | * The player character in ''VideoGame/DarkMessiahOfMightAndMagic'' can end up this way with one of the good-aligned endings. You lose [[spoiler:your ability to transform into a demon and your succubus advisor]], but you gain [[spoiler: a bunch of top-tier holy gear after purifying yourself]]. |
| 148 | * Jericho Cross in ''VideoGame/DarkWatch'' becomes an Ascended ''Vampire'' if he is played with [[KarmaMeter good karma]]. By performing several good deeds like [[SuckOutThePoison sucking out tainted blood]] from vampire victims, giving [[MercyKill quick and clean deaths]] to infected Darkwatch members and exorcising Lazarus' victims who had [[YourSoulIsMine their souls almost completely taken by him]], Jericho unlocks several holy powers that he can wield despite being an undead himself. Taken all the way to the end, [[spoiler:he can become human again after killing Lazarus and ending the Curse of the West]]. |
| 149 | * ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'': |
| 150 | ** The "Legendary Dark Knight" Sparda was a demon who rebelled against his kind and fought for humanity, eventually fathering twin sons [[TheHero Dante]] and [[TheRival Vergil]] with a human woman named Eva. |
| 151 | ** Trish is a demon created by the Demon Lord Mundus in the image of Dante's mother in order to lure him into a trap where Mundus would kill him. After being shown kindness by Dante, Trish turns on her evil master and becomes Dante's partner in fighting evil. |
| 152 | ** Lucia, the {{Deuteragonist}} of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'', discovers that she is an artificial demon created by the villain Arius. Despite this, she remains steadfast in her duty to protect humans and defeats Arius. This trope is even invoked with her [[SuperMode Devil Trigger]] which resembles an angelic, dove-like creature. |
| 153 | * ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'': |
| 154 | ** This has happened to [[spoiler:Rozalin]] prior to the beginning of the story in ''VideoGame/Disgaea2''. [[spoiler:Due to her nature as a being of solitude along with an attempt to start over, she attempted a reincarnation to begin again, something the Fake Zenon took advantage of to take Zenon hostage. He convinced her that she is "Rozalin", his daughter, and showered her in lavish gifts. His revenge was her not realizing she was his enemy, and to love him so much as to see him as her amazing father. Following the revelation of this and the release of her old energy as a [[UltimateLifeform Tyrant Overlord]], Adell manages to [[CooldownHug reach her and bring her back to reason]]. [[{{Tsundere}} She doesn't take it well initially]], but throughout the remainder of the DLC in the franchise, she has taken to just being Rozalin, discarding her past as Zenon almost entirely, and shows strong affection for Adell.]] |
| 155 | ** Flonne has become this, as of ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 4|APromiseUnforgotten}}''. That is to say, she was ''originally'' an angel, but in the [[MultipleEndings Good (and canonical) ending]] of the first game, the Seraph turned her into a FallenAngel. [[{{Unishment}} Not much of a punishment]] ([[ReasonableAuthorityFigure or even intended to be one]]), since she got to stay with her friends Laharl and Etna, and [[LoveFreak her personality]] remains the same. By D4 she has apparently gotten a promotion, and is now an Archangel, once again serving the Seraph (and is the boss of the new Vulcanus). |
| 156 | ** In ''VideoGame/Disgaea5'', this is the net objective of Ultimate Demon Technique, invented by Goldion and mastered by [[spoiler: Killia, and in post game Void]]. Subverted because both a noble heart and sufficient power are required to master it. This is why Zeroken can't use the high level techniques and Liezerota can't use it at all. |
| 157 | * ''VideoGame/DragaliaLost'': The world's [[OurAngelsAreDifferent archangels]] used to be demons, and were meant to be AlwaysChaoticEvil [[spoiler:by their creator, [[GodIsEvil Xenos]].]] However, [[NotAlwaysEvil some demons defied this purpose]] and chose creation and protection over destruction and ruination, the first being [[spoiler: Metatron]], who would clash with the other demons and set up an order of archangels to work with the setting's Ilian Church to protect humanity and nature, and serve the Holywyrm Elysium. |
| 158 | * ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': |
| 159 | ** ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'': Paarthurnax, leader of the Greybeards, views himself as such; [[spoiler:dragons]] are inherently born to conquer and dominate, and he suppresses this desire only through meditation and great effort. Though the Blades doubt this, and it's hinted he might not be quite as good as he seems. [[spoiler: Paarthurnax used to be TheDragon to his brother [[BigBad Alduin]], he made an attempt to do a HeelFaceTurn by teaching humans Thu'um, hoping to undo his atrocities of slaughtering humans in his past days. Depending on how loyal you are to the [[KnightTemplar Blades]], he might not have a chance to redeem himself [[HeelFaceDoorSlam because of you]].]] |
| 160 | ** In addition to Paarthurnax, there are some dragons who do not wish to fight or dominate and simply wish to be left alone. These will just fly overhead, out of easy striking range, and won't harm anyone ([[ProudWarriorRaceGuy unless you somehow manage to hit one, in which case the dragon is obligated to fight back]]). In fact, at the end of the main questline, [[spoiler:many of these dragons will join Paarthurnax once Alduin is defeated, [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning proclaiming him as their new leader and following his pacifist ideals of the Way of the Voice]]]]. |
| 161 | ** Before Paarthurnax there was Nahfahlaar of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsAdventuresRedguard'' and ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline''. Unlike Paarthurnax, Nahfahlaar agreed that DespotismJustifiesTheMeans is part of a dragon's nature but [[PragmaticVillainy he didn't consider himself above working with mortals]] and even took a liking to some. He [[HunterOfHisOwnKind allied himself with the Blades]] back when they were known as the Dragonguard and helped defeat the evil dragon Kaalgrontiid during the Alliance War before being recruited by the GodEmperor Tiber Septim/[[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Talos Stormcrown]] himself during [[TheEmpire his conquest of Tamriel]]. He was a proud soldier and a loyal vassal, causing him to be considered "a jewel of the Imperial crown" and assisted in Talos' conquest of Hammerfell before being slain by the [[PlayerCharacter Redguard pirate Cyrus]]. |
| 162 | * ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has an instance of this in the "[[WeirdWest High Noon Gothic]]" AlternateUniverse regarding [[YinYangBomb Senna]]. In this version's backstory, she was a human gunslinger who had her heart ripped out by [[TortureTechnician Thresh]], sending her on a path to hell and becoming a demon. However, after her husband Lucian [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed his soul for her]], Senna was resurrected through "intervention of [[{{Heaven}} a higher authority]]", granting her the heart of [[OurAngelsAreDifferent a literal angel]], giving her both the powers of demonic hellfire with the holy light and hope-bringing conviction of the heavens. |
| 163 | * In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', a sidequest involves Link helping a demon named Batreaux who wants to become human, because he is very lonely, and people are too terrified of his appearance for him to make friends. |
| 164 | * Similar to the Succubus Paladin in [=DnD=] above, in the MMORPG ''VideoGame/{{Mabinogi}}'', the NPC [[spoiler: Kristell]] was once a succubus, but after falling in love with the druid [[spoiler: Tarlach]], she became [[spoiler: the priestess at Dunbarton]]. |
| 165 | * In a rather bizarre way, [[EldritchAbomination Shuma-Gorath's]] ending in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' shows that after he defeated Galactus he was lauded as a hero by everyone on Earth and, despite how easily he could conquer it, he decided instead to become a game show host. |
| 166 | * ''Franchise/MortalKombat'': |
| 167 | ** Introduced in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero'', Sareena was a member of [[EvilSorcerer Quan Chi's]] AmazonBrigade of female demons but was convinced to turn good after Sub-Zero spared her life. She supposedly dies helping him against Shinnok but is revealed to have survived and escapes the Netherealm using a portal Scorpion and Quan Chi had used. Shortly after regaining her human form, Sareena encountered the younger brother of the Sub-Zero she met years before. Sub-Zero granted her sanctuary with the Lin Kuei back on Earthrealm. In gratitude, Sareena pledged her loyalty to the clan, swearing to help defend it from its enemies. She returns in the [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX rebooted timeline]] once again aiding the heroes in their war against Quan Chi. |
| 168 | ** Ashrah from ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception'' is a [[TheLegionsOfHell Netherealm]] demon, who gets betrayed and has a HeelFaceTurn in regards to BlackAndWhiteMorality. She comes across a sword that purifies her, every time she slays a demon with it. She becomes a VirginInAWhiteDress. Her plan is to gain enough purification that the evil or taint that resided in her demonic creation no longer exists, to the point of the Netherrealm (Hell) being UNABLE to keep her presence inside, for you cannot exist in that realm without a taint on the soul. The idea is that she'll eventually be expelled out of that fiery wasteland. The problem though? She's turned a bit KnightTemplar, or AxCrazy because of this obsession. (Granted, it's still unclear whether any of this is actually happening, or if the Kris is just an UnholyHolySword that's making her think killing certain targets will save her soul in order to make her into its instrument of genocide. Her ending in one of the games reveal that the Kris really works, but the rate of purification is proportional to the evilness and power of the target. Also, once the user is ascended (and safely expelled from the Netherrealm), the sword stays behind to repeat the process for another demon.) |
| 169 | * Valen in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' and Neeshka in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' can end up being good demon-blooded people if your character tries hard enough. |
| 170 | ** For that matter, your character can end up as one too. |
| 171 | ** Due to the number of times Aribeth passes through the HeelFaceRevolvingDoor, some of her later incarnations come across this way. |
| 172 | ** [[SuccubiAndIncubi Persey]] in the Tales of Arterra mod discovers a conscience and develops into a priestess of the goddess of love by the end of the story. |
| 173 | * ''VideoGame/NexusClash'' allows low-level demons who aren't on board with Evil to switch to the side of the Angels and become Redeemed. (Angels can do something similar and become {{Fallen|Angel}}). The Redeemed are extra-powerful fighters against demons, but many of their powers are paid for directly out of their KarmaMeter and thus put their Redemption at risk. |
| 174 | * In ''Videogame/PathfinderWrathOfTheRighteous'', much like the tabletop version mentioned above, has Arueshalae, a demonic succubus who cast aside her evil ways after the goddess Desna forced her to experience the pain and suffering of her past victims. She still has to struggle with her innate urges constantly. Depending on how the [[PlayerCharacter Commander]] treats her, she can be fully redeemed and have her InUniverse alignment shift to ChaoticGood, or fall back to her original ChaoticEvil alignment. |
| 175 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' and its spinoffs, [[spoiler:Teddie, who was formerly a Shadow just like most of the enemies in the game, gains a Persona and essentially becomes human]]. This also applies to [[spoiler:the Personas of the main cast, including all of Yu's Personas besides Izanagi: all of them were originally shadows that were brought under the control of the ego]]. ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'' implies that this process is reversible, and that it is only through sustained effort that a Persona can continue to exist. |
| 176 | * ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' has Fall-From-Grace, a succubus who runs a pleasant brothel of platonic prostitution. (A chaste succubus, who runs a brothel that does not sell sex, something that seems a contradiction in every way.) However, she still feels some loss from her ascension to a good-leaning LawfulNeutral cleric from a ChaoticEvil existence, hence the name. There is evidence that her "fall" is more than a little uncomfortable for her, as her race is [[AlwaysChaoticEvil evil incarnate]] in a universe where belief governs the laws of physics and 'being evil' is as much a part of their existence as 'breathing air' is for humans. Despite your party being composed of only those in [[TitleDrop true torment]], Ravel claims that Grace suffers more than any of your companions. This is pretty amazing, considering how your remaining party members are tormented. |
| 177 | * Invoked in ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'', where an attack animation for the Dark Prince (who is supposed to be {{Satan}}, and is explicitly named that in the Japanese originals) has him performing a move called "Ascension" that involves him literally ascending to Heaven. |
| 178 | * In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne'', two Goetic demons, Ose and Flauros, will be purified by Chiaki in her BossBattle and will regain the shapes they had before they fell. Although unlike most versions of this trope, LightIsNotGood is in full effect, and Chiaki is far and away one of the more evil entities in the game by the time this happens. |
| 179 | * ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': |
| 180 | ** A Satyr who came to his senses and seeks redemption uses parts of his former tribe and rips out his own heart to use in a potion to save a child dying of sickness. He doesn't actually ascend though: [[spoiler: he just turns back into a night elf]]. |
| 181 | ** In ''Legion'', a [[AlwaysChaoticEvil dreadlord]] named Lothraxion can be found in the Paladin class hall. He was initially a part of the Burning Legion, but hated his comrades' violence and betrayed his master. He's still a [[HorrifyingHero massive, winged, vampire-monster with hooves]], but his horns are gone and he glows brightly. He's even classified as a humanoid instead of a demon. Though, due to how demonhood works in [=WoW=], he most likely reverted to a non-corrupted nathrezim. |
| 182 | [[/folder]] |
| 183 | |
| 184 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 185 | * Caliban of ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'', who renounces his demonic powers and becomes human. Turns out he's less motivated by virtue than by getting away from some demonic loan sharks who are after him, but once that's sorted out he seems quite happy to live as a human and gets a job at Starbucks. |
| 186 | * ''Satan'' of all characters gets this in ''Webcomic/CaseyAndAndy'' (albeit temporarily). During his attempted takeover of Hell, the demon Azriel drains Satan of all her evil in an attempt to destroy her. Removing her evilness, however, just [[ShownTheirWork reverts Satan to her pre-fall status as an archangel]], and she proceeds to kick his ass. |
| 187 | [[/folder]] |
| 188 | |
| 189 | [[folder:Web Originals]] |
| 190 | * ''Literature/TalesOfWyre'' begins with the choice of whether to [[DemonSlaying slay]] a succubus who ''claims'' to repent her sins. There is, of course, no way to know whether she's telling the truth. |
| 191 | * ''Literature/NESGodzillaCreepypasta''. [[spoiler:At the end of the game, when all characters are brought back to life, Solomon has become this, evidenced by his red eyes becoming blue.]] |
| 192 | * The main character of ''Roleplay/InfernoQuest'', Karael, was banished from Heaven into Hell, in part, due to her belief that this was possible. [[spoiler:She was quickly proven correct.]] |
| 193 | * At the end of the ''WebVideo/MusicalHell'' review of ''Theatre/Portal2TheUnauthorizedMusical'', the angel Donna implies that Diva may be able to come back to Heaven someday and that the devil's greatest trick was convincing demons that the road to Hell was one-way. |
| 194 | [[/folder]] |
| 195 | |
| 196 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 197 | * ''WesternAnimation/AngelWars'': It's ''heavily'' implied this is a possibility, as Michael attempts to convince his former friend to accept forgiveness. The closest the series gets to having one of these on-screen is an imp named Que cooperating with The Seven's crew to defeat a powerful demon and getting released for good behavior, even given the option to remain on The Seven and work with its crew. |
| 198 | * ''{{WesternAnimation/Disenchantment}}'': In season 2, Luci gave up his power and immortality to save Bean and Elfo, showing that he had become a true anti-hero. Sadly, this caught up with him at the end of Season 3, [[spoiler:where he died trying to save Bean. Despite being a demon, due to his legit care for Bean and Elfo, Luci was permitted into Heaven... much to his ire. Then got resurrected in season 4 and killed again in the penultimate episode of season 5, going back to Heaven where he had the opportunity to take over after God got killed by a brick. But instead decided to replace God's lightbulb and became an angel.]] |
| 199 | * The desire to become one drives the plot of ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'': the princess of Hell, sick of losing so many of her people to the annual population purges, plans on reducing the population by reforming damned souls so that they can go to Heaven. [[spoiler:She finally, albeit unknowingly, succeeds at the end of Season 1, as Sir Pentious's HeroicSacrifice to protect the Hotel from Adam manages to make him qualify for Heaven (though he's just as baffled as anyone else that this happened to him)]]. |
| 200 | * [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] with Sunset Shimmer in the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' series. She's not a literal demon, but, in her role as the villain of [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1 the first film]], her attempts to harness Equestrian magic in the human dimension results in her transforming into a monstrous, amoral BigRedDevil with leathery bat wings. When she's restored to normal, she tearfully renounces her villainy and pulls a HeelFaceTurn, spending the next two films as TheAtoner and putting in the effort to become a good person. Her full reversal is illustrated in ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames Friendship Games]]'', where she again harnesses magic in an effort to combat the villain -- [[spoiler:and this time, she transforms not into a demon, but [[GoldenSuperMode an angelic form]] with [[GoodWingsEvilWings wings of light]]]]. |
| 201 | * In ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', [[spoiler: because [[HalfHumanHybrid Ashi is part Aku]], he was able to activate her SuperPoweredEvilSide and take her over. Eventually, Jack is able to pull a IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight by invoking ThePowerOfLove, and she cast away her father's influence while retaining his entire power set... including his ability to time travel]]. |
| 202 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Nobody Got Cereal?", Satan is killed by [=ManBearPig=]. His WingedSoulFliesOffAtDeath to Heaven. |
| 203 | * The French cartoon ''Les Contes de la Rue Broca'' ("The Tales of Broca Street") has an episode called "Le Gentil Petit Diable" or "The Nice Little Devil". The titular character is a young demon who prefers doing good deeds, much to the displeasure of his parents. He ends up heading to heaven where, after confirming he is indeed a good kid, he is transformed into an angel (though he retains his horns and tail, just gold-colored instead of red). |
| 204 | [[/folder]] |
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