Line #107 Main/ThrowTheDogABone


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9	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/LovingReaper https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ttdab.png]]]]
10
11	->''"Waspinator happy at last."''
12	-->-- '''[[TheChewToy Waspinator]]''', giving the very last line of ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}: WesternAnimation/BeastWars''
13
14	So they've been constantly injured, the [[ButtMonkey butt of every joke and misfortune]], [[TheChewToy much to the audience's amusement]], and it seems [[CosmicPlaything the universe itself just likes screwing with him]]. So what's happening now? Huh... he's happy?
15
16	Yes, it seems that fate/God/the writers finally decided to Throw the Dog a Bone. It can be them ultimately coming out ahead, or just having a break for once, but it's generally very satisfying to whomever it happens to and [[TheWoobie any fans that had felt sorry for him]].
17
18	One way this can happen is if the "Dog" character [[SexualKarma gets into a relationship]]. This can be very irritating to fans of the other character if it comes across as a [[StandardHeroReward reward]] and objectifies - in particularly bad versions of this; they might come across as - by this trope's very metaphor -- a "bone." (Even "better", listen to [[UnpleasableFanbase fans complain]] if this [[EntitledToHaveYou doesn't happen]].)
19
20	If the bone is thrown only to be cruelly snatched away later, then this becomes YankTheDogsChain, a set-up for the writers to further toy with the hapless character.
21
22	Compare KarmicJackpot, EarnYourHappyEnding (the ending-specific variant of this trope) and contrast with TeamRocketWins. If the character in-question happens to get this permanently and completely by chance, instead of temporarily, then it's SerendipityShock.
23	----
24	!!Example subpages:
25
26	[[index]]
27	* ThrowTheDogABone/AnimeAndManga
28	* ThrowTheDogABone/ComicBooks
29	* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Literature}}
30	* ThrowTheDogABone/LiveActionTV
31	* ThrowTheDogABone/VideoGames
32	* ThrowTheDogABone/WesternAnimation
33	[[/index]]
34
35	!!Other examples:
36	[[foldercontrol]]
37
38	[[folder:Advertising]]
39	* The Advertising/TrixRabbit is occasionally given a chance to actually ''try'' the cereal depending on the outcome of a poll. People vote for him to get it ''every time'', and by now you would think the company would get that people [[TheWoobie really feel sorry for him]] and hate the [[CerealViceReward kids]].
40	** They probably do and know that sympathy for the rabbit makes people remember the commercials more.
41	** Of course the audience is supposed to sympathize with the rabbit: they're supposed to want the cereal as bad as he does.
42	*** The message seems to be that the audience is supposed to sympathize with the kids, and feel ridiculously entitled to their cereal, thus becoming more insistent on buying it.
43	*** There have been a small number of ads where he did actually get to eat the cereal: one of them is found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wrx8YHH8A Here]]. In another, he tastes it, goes into his usual "description" monologue, and looks up to see that [[YankTheDogsChain the bowl is now empty]].
44	* One Christmas-themed Cocoa Pebbles commercial ends with the real Santa showing up, and [[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones Fred and Barney]] for a change sharing a bowl of the cereal as friends.
45	* After attempting to get back together with the woman who rejected him for a Swiffer Wet-Jet (buying flowers, dedicating radio songs to her), the broom finally found a new girlfriend - [[CargoShip the rake]].
46	* A priceless [[SuperBowlSpecial Super Bowl]] Coke commercial where Macy Balloons of [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie]] and WesternAnimation/{{Underdog}} are fighting (aka bumping into each other) in order to get that balloon of a Coke bottle. Eventually, the bottle starts to float away. Both characters turn and see a round shape on the horizon. It's [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown]], who then wins the prize. Watch it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiMf5cCDy1I here]].
47	** Even better, he gets it in full view of a Lucy van Pelt lookalike.
48	* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Mj3i-TLaw Apple -- Frankie's Holiday]]''. [[Literature/{{Frankenstein}} Frankenstein's Monster]] goes to a nearby town to try and celebrate with the people via caroling. However, their inevitable fear of him, combined with his awkwardness, nearly sends him over the DespairEventHorizon... until one little girl decides to back him up, soon followed by all of the now-encouraged townspeople. And FM, finally getting his ultimate Christmas gift -- [[IJustWantToHaveFriends acceptance]] -- can only invoke TearsOfJoy.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
52	* ''ComicStrip/Blondie1930'': One comic showed '''everything''' going right for Dagwood, like the inversion of a HumiliationConga: Mr. Dithers praised him and gave him a raise for some particularly skilled work, Blondie prepared his favorite meal and then smilingly waved him off to poker night, where he can't seem to get a bad hand.... The final panel shows Blondie, sitting up in bed, smiling out at the reader (and looking '''hot''' in her nightie) and saying something to the effect that "[[BreakingTheFourthWall after X years in this comic strip]], he deserves a day like this!"
53	* One Sunday strip of ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' has [[BookDumb Calvin]] ''finally'' getting an 'A'. In a different arc, he gets an A+ on an assignment.
54	* In ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'', Jon is finally now dating Liz the veterinarian, after crushing on her without success for, what? Thirty years?
55	** Before that, he actually managed to get a real date. Granted, the woman in question was a bit of a {{Gonk}}, but despite that she had a lovely personality, and they both had a wonderful time.
56	* One strip of ''ComicStrip/TheBornLoser'' had the protagonist having a moment of good luck for once. ''Once.''
57	* ''ComicStrip/{{Mutts}}'': [[spoiler:In 2023, twenty-seven years after being depicted as a chained dog, Guard Dog is finally set "free" [[ItMakesSenseInContext after his owners move out and leave him behind, forcing Ozzie to unchain him in order to get him to the vet in time.]] Once there, he is adopted by Doozy and her family, renamed Sparky, and finally gets a chance to be inside the house.]]
58	* In ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', Charlie Brown had some success in the '90s after decades of constant failure; he managed to hit a home run and win the game for his team not once but twice; he [[http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1995/04/11 defeated]] a bully named Joe Agate in marbles; and he might even have [[http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1999/10/24 kicked the ball for once.]]
59	** In ''You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown'', Charlie Brown winds up winning a motocross race despite every force in the universe seemingly indicating that he wouldn't. Goes into ShaggyDogStory territory when the intended prize--Pro Bowl tickets--is replaced by five free haircuts. His hair is not very plentiful and his father is a barber.
60	** ''WesternAnimation/ItsMagicCharlieBrown'' throws two bones at Charlie Brown after Snoopy makes him disappear. When Charlie Brown sees Lucy playing with her football, he takes the opportunity to kick it from her and then ''taunt her about it''. Later on after Snoopy brings him back, Lucy tells him he can't prove that he kicked the football. Snoopy retaliates by suspending her in midair and leaves, happily skipping away with together with Charlie Brown.
61	** Earlier, there was a series of strips where Lucy asks Charlie Brown to have her new little brother, Rerun, join the team. Because of his size, Rerun keeps getting walks, and they actually manage to win their first game. Unfortunately, he and Linus are called in to a meeting with the Little League organization, who reveal that they have to forfeit their game when it was revealed that Rerun gambled on the game with Snoopy.
62	** This sometimes happens to Peppermint Patty as well. She's used to getting D's on her assignments, but she is pleased to see a creative spin on one getting a B+. Of course, Marcie has the same idea and gets an A for making her her report longer.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Fan Works]]
66	* In the ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' fanfic ''Fanfic/QueenOfAllOni'' (part of ''Fanfic/ProjectDarkJade''), [[VillainProtagonist Jade]] ends up hiring the Enforcers, and [[BenevolentBoss pays them regular wages (at one point, they mock the heroes by saying it's more than Section 13 pays them), and even when she fires them she gives them severance pay and all their belongings]]. When they realize that Jackie isn't there yet, they decide to flee the country and get away from magic and the chaos involving it that they keep getting mixed up with once and for all. [[spoiler:[[YankTheDogsChain And then they get arrested almost immediately afterwards.]]]]
67	* For much of ''Fanfic/{{Daemorphing}}'', Tom is only slightly better-off than in canon. [[NotHisSled He's freed, sure,]] but he has bipolar disorder brought on by years of brain damage, regularly gets into fights with the other human refugees, and [[spoiler:accidentally-on-purpose becomes a [[ShapeshifterModeLock nothlit]]]]. At the end of ''The Cost of the Fight'', though, he gets a girlfriend. Even Jake is surprised to see him be happy for once.
68	* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed'', after reaching an [[spoiler:emotional catharsis of sorts to get over her jealousy and grudge over Celestia]], the LemonyNarrator [[spoiler:finds her happiness, that being a couch, a good stock of Doritos, and her coltfriend, [[CrazyHomelessPerson Crazy Larry]] at her side.]] This is after countless failures in her life, like messing up on a relatively easy love potion, somehow catching syphilis, her countless academic failures, and general inability to find self-worth. Even though she [[JerkAss hadn't exactly]] been TheWoobie throughout the fic and many of her challenges seemed to be self-deserved, she [[spoiler:[[EarnYourHappyEnding found her own happy ending.]]]]
69	* The ''Literature/BridgeToTerabithia'' fandom, notably of the 2007 Disney film adaptation, has a special disdain for the movie-exclusive character Scott Hoager, who continues to bully Jess Aarons even ''after'' Leslie Burke's death. But in the LDD-fanfic, ''Fanfic/BridgeToTerabithia2TheLastTime'', the writer [=ElleFred=] took the effort to redeem Scott by including a chapter where Scott, now a teenager, and his sidekick-cum-fellow bully Gary Fulcher meets Jess and Leslie (retconned from her alleged "death") and actually spoke to each other directly for the first time in 6 years. Scott eventually apologized to Jess for being a bully and they actually became quite chummy, although Jess still doesn't consider Scott or Gary as friends, but more of acquaintances. But what really takes the cake is that in the DistantEpilogue, Scott ends up married to Jess' ex-girlfriend, the OC Sonia Taylors who is stated to have the body of a supermodel, as well as joining the military after graduation and becoming an Army Sergeant. Best of all? [[spoiler:Scott and Sonia ends up having a son who becomes best friends with Jess' and Leslie's daughter]].
70	* Throughout most of ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost,'' Twilight's [[HeroesWithBadPublicity disgraced loved ones]] are met with contempt and hatred from Jewelius, the citizens of Canterlot, and even Twilight herself. However, after escaping from Canterlot, they [[spoiler:eventually receive refuge from Mayor Mare and the rest of Ponyville. It's revealed shortly after that this was done in response to a collective [[KickTheDog dog-kicking]] by Jewelius, who spitefully wanted to punish the town [[HitlerAteSugar for being the home of the "traitorous" Mane Five]]]].
71	* The story ''[[Fanfic/TheNonBronyverse No, I am NOT a Brony, GET ME OUTTA EQUESTRIA!]]'' has a FourthWallMailSlot chapter in which [=BronyWriter=] pulls the hero, TD Powell back to Earth for the purposes of the Q&A, and while he makes it clear that he'll be sending TD back to Equestria for future chapters, he lets him have his date with his longtime crush Danae first.
72	* In ''Fanfic/ThoseLackingSpines,'' Vexen has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder [[ItMakesSenseInContext after his encounter with the Lazy Town Cake Song]] among other things. [[spoiler:He spends most of Chapter 10 relaxing in a lounge while Lexaeus and Xaldin are fighting Bishounen Gutless.]]
73	* In the ''Space Quest Incinerations'' fan game, General Bruce Havok (one of the most badass guys in the galaxy and [[VideoGame/HalfLife Gordon Freeman expy]]) says to Roger Wilco ([[AlmightyJanitor janitor savior of the galaxy]] yet perpetual [[TheChewToy Chew Toy Extraordinaire]]) that he knows of Roger's heroism and is a big fan ([[NoBadassToHisValet much to Bea's annoyance]]). While he did treat Roger like crap earlier, it's largely because it's been many years since Roger's exploits have occurred and thus Bruce didn't realize he was dealing with ''that'' Roger Wilco (since it's a relatively common name), and Roger is something of a JerkAss when he's not saving the galaxy.
74	* In the ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' story ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8987477/1/A-Black-Heart A Black Heart]]'', Ichigo lets [[LovableSexManiac Kon]] take over his body to get laid while Ichigo takes care of some business.
75	* In ''Fanfic/UninvitedGuests'', after enduring 41 chapters of craziness, Toshiro Hitsugaya is happy when Nanao Ise takes over as his lieutenant, a partner who actually does her job. The narration even points out that the universe may throw you a bone if you work hard and never give up.
76	* In the ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/{{Harmless}}'', [[IJustWantToHaveFriends Klemper]] now has the ghost dog, Cujo. At last, the lonely ghost has some friends.
77	* In one ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' fanfiction, Drakken complains about his plan going wrong and his base being destroyed on his birthday. So Ron convinces him to use a machine to drop several gallons of oil on the fighting Kim and Shego; in exchange, Ron would hold off on destroying the base for a while. Upon seeing the [[MudWrestling results]], Drakken declares it his best birthday ever.
78	* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10623866/15/Sekirei-Is-that-some-new-species-of-little-sister Sekirei? Is that some new species of little sister?]]'' Naruto routinely unwings Sekirei then blocks their ability to be winged either to save them from abusive Ashikabi and/or allow them to make their own decisions without being influenced by their bond. While Minato has been the ButtMonkey for most of the story, including both [[LovableSexManiac Matsu]] and [[{{Tsundere}} Tsukiumi]] finding him pathetic once they weren't drawn to him, [[FirstGirlWins Musubi]] still loved him after her bond was severed. In fact, neither knew it was severed until they kissed and she didn't sprout wings.
79	* ''Fanfic/GodSlayingBladeWorks'' has several omakes where Kariya Matou, one of the biggest {{Butt Monkey}}s of ''Literature/FateZero'', gets to earn his happy ending, and one where the 4th Holy Grail War's Lancer gets to die a heroic death just like he wanted instead of getting betrayed and killed like a dog.
80	* Parsee Mizuhashi from the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' is a literal GreenEyedMonster taken to its logical conclusion: She is DrivenByEnvy, [[EmotionEater jealousy sustains her]] and her power to [[HatePlague make other people envious]] [[PowerBornOfMadness is born from her own jealousy of them.]] Everything in her existence revolves around this misery, around how she's physically incapable of being content with what she has and always envies others for what what they have that she does not... In the fandom she's most commonly shipped with the [[AmazonianBeauty drop-dead gorgeous]] and [[WorldsStrongestWoman incredibly strong]] Yuugi Hoshiguma... Of course, Parsee still cannot be happy with what she has and will always find some way to sour her own fortune, but at least Yuugi is always there to support her.
81	* The fanmade animatic "Quest for the Northwest" from ''WebAnimation/GravityFallsDeepWoods'' throws one to [[JerkassWoobie Pacifica Northwest]], who's given a break from her AbusiveParents and runs away a few hours to have fun with Dipper and Mabel. Another is thrown at [[UnluckyExtra the "Free Pizza" guy]], who finally manages to get a pizza when the kids offer him one.
82	* ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'': Despite being a SadistShow, full to the brim with BlackComedy, the show resident {{Butt Monkey}}s occasionally get a bone:
83	** Subverted in ''Purple Party Pooper'', which opens with [[JerkAssWoobie Twilight]] happily singing to herself, because it's her birthday and despite their differences, the rest of the Mane Six are coming to celebrate... before Spike tells her they're not coming. Cue ClusterFBomb.
84	** Cheerilee is constantly pushed around, insulted, and even manipulated ''by her own students''. But after one of the girls schemes leads to her [[WhatDidIDoLastNight waking up married to Big Mac, on a bed in the hole in the middle of the road]], they go on to be HappilyMarried.
85	** Luna is finally accepted by Ponyville, at the end of "Utter Lunacy". Though zigzagged, as she doesn't know how exactly that happened and the episode ends on her being utterly confused and storming off in frustration.
86	** Spike, who is treated like a slave by his clingy "adopted mother"/owner Twilight, on top of being a general ButtMonkey. But unlike Twilight, The Mane Six ''actually showed up'' for his birthday. Also, he occasionally gets away with making a snide remark at Twilight.
87	** Despite Twilight and Spike having a ''very'' unhealthy relationship, they both occasionally show [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther they care about each other deep down]].
88	** [[TheFriendNobodyLikes Rainbow Dash]] probably ties with Spike and Luna for biggest ButtMonkey of the cast, without even counting her HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood. Never the less, she actually gets a few of these:
89	*** After (accidentally) saving a child in a well, she is briefly treated as a hero. She also goes out for ice cream with Scootaloo at the end of the episode, who herself is the NoRespectGuy in the CMC.
90	*** Twilight actually shows up to spend time with her in the hospital.
91	*** Her human counterpart in The Equestria Girls universe, is the most popular girl in school.
92	*** Soarin accepting her as his adopted daughter, after going her whole life without a parental figure who genuinely loved or even liked her.
93	*** Pinkie Pie 2 actually standing up for her, [[ItMakesSenseInContext after Cheese Sandwhich mistakes her for a demon and tries to kill her.]]
94	** For a brief moment while in the dream world, Luna and Scootaloo actually enjoy each other's company.
95	* In ''Fanfic/AnAprilFoolsErrand'', despite having a holiday based off of Homer's [[EverybodyHatesHades slanderized account of how he met his wife]], Hades is happy just to have a holiday dedicated to him for once.
96	* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', [[Characters/BatmanMrFreeze Victor Fries]] surrenders after learning that his wife Nora has been cured of her terminal illness by the Quirk she developed in cryostasis. After spending fifteen years in Arkham as a model inmate, he leaves a free man and gets to reunite with his wife, starting Fries Financial, an incredibly successful conglomerate. He seems to be held in high esteem by the events of the story and his granddaughter Wiktoria is offended when another girl calls him a "sentimental old fool".
97	* ''Fanfic/FateHaremAntics'': Shirou Emiya is sent a dream of Archer EMIYA's memories. In the memory, EMIYA takes down a group of Dead Apostles and arrives in time to rescue a little boy they were planning to eat. EMIYA became happy that for once in his life, he managed to save someone.
98	* ''Fanfic/FatesCollide'': Mercury Black constantly gets beaten up by everybody, usually Gilgamesh, and ends up losing one or both artificial legs. Then he manages to win Round 2 of the Grand Order Tournament, outlasting all his opponents, including Gilgamesh.
99	* ''Fanfic/TheManyDatesOfDannyFenton'': [[spoiler:After so many bad dates, Tucker decides to actually create an honest dating profile, and has a nice date with Velma Dinkley from ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'']].
100	* In ''Fanfic/EverybodysGottaLeaveSometime'', the ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' gang have a last get-together before parting ways forever, and for once Charlie Brown gets a little of happiness sent his way. Long-time bullies Violet and her friend Patty praise him a bit in their own way, and Lucy Van Pelt points out that his baseball team always sticked by him, even though they hardly won any games. Peppermint Patty also gets a bone when Charlie decides to keep hanging out with her.
101	* ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'':
102	** Despite often getting blasted off by Ash, the Team Rocket trio gets a letter of praise from Giovanni after they capture Felgrand, telling them that they got massive raises and are in line to be promoted.
103	** After being defeated in all of his battles against Ash, A.J. he's shown winning an important battle against Erika. He later gets strong ShipTease with Jeanette Fisher as the two begin to travel together.
104	** Jessie wins the Princess' Festival tournament and the doll set, since Misty doesn't take part in it this time around.
105	** Resident ButtMonkey Samurai manages to get through four rounds of the Indigo League. Though given that his fifth round opponent was ''Koga'', that is as far as his bone gets him.
106	** After the heartbreak in the first Butterfree Interlude, the next one gives him a chance for a SecondLove.
107	* ''Fanfic/GazDreamsOfGenie'': While it's not a major focus of the plot, Dib finally gets a relieve from [[TheChewToy all the crap he went through in canon]] when [[spoiler:[[BecomingTheGenie Azie switches lives with Gaz]], and as a result his memories of his mean sister are poofed out of existence and he gets to grow up with a nice sister instead who loves him.]]
108	* ''WebVideo/MyLittlePonyTheMentallyAdvancedSeries'':
109	** In the "negative episodes", while Fluttershy's Woobie and ExtremeDoormat status from canon are still played up for dark comedy and she still gets no respect from most ponies (not to mention she doesn't even get to show up till ''episode eight''), she does get some "minor victories" here and there: in the episode covering the events of "Stare Master" she manages to assert herself better than at any previous point in the series and ends up having a relatively pleasant night with the CMC and [[ItMakesSenseInContext a eldritch being]] and in the episode covering "Sonic Rainboom" shows that despite their flaws, she and Rainbow Dash ''do'' sincerely see each other as friends. Flutters even seemed to finally start [[GrewASpine growing a spine before the series got cancelled]], and she gets to tell off Twilight while drunk after the gala. (Not that Twilight cares, but still.)
110	** The Episode of the original covering "Owls Well That Ends Well", is basically a BreatherEpisode about [[JerkassWoobie Twilight]] and [[BeleagueredAssistant Spike]] hanging around the library with each other, that shows that they do genuinely care about each other, even if they don't show it often.
111	* ''Fanfic/SecondBiteOfTheCherry'': The Zhou family never got to see their daughter again after she was taken to the Cloud Recesses, but meeting Lan Wangji allows them to learn he's a very sweet and kind young man who genuinely adores his fiancée.
112	* ''WebOriginal/FluffyPony'' is based around cute little fluffies ponies suffering. When a story or picture comes along with ''any'' fluffies being happy without any drawbacks, it's like throwing a bone to the whole species.
113	* Throughout ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'', Krillin's ButtMonkey status has been punctuated with the "Krillin Owned Count", going up one every time something particularly bad happens to Krillin. However, at the end of the series, Android 18 shows up at Krillin's doorstep to fulfill the promise she made to herself to [[spoiler:[[GladToBeAliveSex rock his four-foot world if they both survived]]]]. Upon doing so, the Krillin Owned Count drops from its current count of 39 to 38. After the credits, it's nighttime, they're ''still'' going, the Krillin Owned Count has dropped to one, and, in one final [[DestructoNookie climactic moment, is completely destroyed]]. Also, [[spoiler:Krillin has a GagPenis.]]
114	** In spin-off ''WebAnimation/DragonShortZ'' Yamcha gets his when, as part of being forced to retire from baseball due to his InvincibleHero stats making the game boring and predictable, he's given a ''20 billion zeni'' payout, enough to comfortably retire, even without sponsorship deals. He then proceeds to buy the biggest drink company in the world and founds a restaurant chain, making him one of the wealthiest men in the world, all after being constantly outclassed by his Z-Warrior peers, dying, and losing his girlfriend to the guy that killed him.
115	*** And after learning the Yamcha in [[BadFuture Future Trunk's timeline]] [[DrivenToSuicide killed himself]], Goku takes a moment to remind Yamcha that he ''is'' [[YouAreNotAlone his friend]]. Which since our Yamcha didn't wind up killing himself, may have actually saved his life.
116	*** After taking plenty of crap from him, Yamcha does make ''one'' successful comeback to one of Vegeta's insults, that leaves the Saiyan prince stunned:
117	-->'''Vegeta:''' How's the hole in your chest?\
118	'''Yamcha:''' Just fine. How's your ''spine''.
119	* When Foxy and his Foxy Pirates lose a Davy Back Fight against the Kamikaze Pirates in ''Fanfic/VoyagesOfTheWildSeaHorse'', with the Kamikaze Pirates then demanding the Foxy Jolly Roger, they resign themselves to having Luffy's awful scribble replaced with something even more humiliating. They are surprised beyond belief and incredibly grateful when the Kamikaze Pirates instead give them a very beautifully painted, cool-looking new Jolly Roger, as they wanted there to be no hard feelings over the course of the game.
120	* ''Fanfic/IAmNotGoingThroughPubertyAgain'': The epilogue mentions that Neji (who became a ButtMonkey following the "Hinata Massacre") ''finally'' caught a break after he married Tenten.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
124	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'': Maudie lucks out at the end of the movie by hooking up with the {{Hunk}} from Clan Dingwall.
125	* On April 14, 2022, Blue Sky Studios released [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuua5lVrdP0 an animation]] to commemorate the ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' franchise move from the studio to Disney. The animation was about Scrat not only finding an acorn and not losing it, but also allowed to eat it in peace.
126	* The credits of ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaIIIATwistInTime'' show that while Anastasia did not become a princess, she did get a nice boyfriend.
127	* Features in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' film ''[[Recap/FuturamaM1BendersBigScore Bender's Big Score]]''; Fry's dog Seymour, originally depicted as spending twelve years waiting for Fry after he was frozen when Fry never knew about it, [[spoiler:now spends those twelve years living with Fry's time-paradox duplicate]].
128	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie'', Superman often finds Green Lantern obnoxious, but in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie2TheSecondPart'', he treats him like a friend during their time in the Systar System, which is [[spoiler:initially assumed to be caused by brainwashing, but it turns out to be genuine. However, [[YankTheDogsChain it doesn't last when Armamageddon begins]]]].
129	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats in Paris}}'' ends with [[spoiler:Chuckie not only getting a new mother, but also a new sister named Kimi when Chas marries Kira]].
130	[[/folder]]
131
132	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
133	* Ragetti in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'' was given the honor of [[spoiler:releasing the goddess Calypso from her human form, in the hopes she would help the pirates defeat the [[BigBad East India Trading Company]]. The final requirement for her release was that someone had to say "Calypso, I release you from your human bonds" as if they were saying it to a lover. [[LargeHam Barbossa]] tried, very dramatically, and failed. [[HiddenDepths Then Ragetti, surprisingly, stepped up and said it correctly]].]] [[spoiler:And then he wound up with [[GroinAttack a crab in his pants.]]]]
134	* Corey and Trevor play this role in ''Series/TrailerParkBoys: TheMovie''. When they're arrested along with Ricky for robbing a movie theater, they become the most popular guys in prison by yanking down the pants of the {{Jerkass}} head prison guard after he loses a ball hockey tournament between the guards and the inmates.
135	* Spud in the film ''Literature/{{Trainspotting}}'' spends most of the film getting humiliated. In the end, he is the only accomplice of the drug deal who receives his share from Renton.
136	* ''Film/OceansThirteen'' does this to The "VUP" ([[TheChewToy Very Unimportant Person]]), the (real) hotel reviewer who is tortured by Ocean's crew from the moment he arrives to the moment he gets unceremoniously thrown out: this is to ensure that he'll give the hotel the lowest possible rating as a part of their plan to rob and humiliate Bank, who's very proud of all the awards his hotels have gotten multiple years in a row. While waiting for a plane ticket he wins [[KarmicJackpot $11 million dollars]] via a slot machine rigged by the protagonists as compensation for all they put him through.
137	* ''Film/{{Serenity}}''. River Tam: "I'm alright... ''I'm alright.''"
138	* ''Film/{{Shenandoah}}'': Charlie's mission to rescue his youngest son from captivity fails and indirectly gets [[spoiler:three]] other family members killed, while the boy ends up escaping and getting home on his own. However, the whole affair isn't ''quite'' a ShootTheShaggyDog tale, as his quest does end up rescuing his son-in-law Sam from being taken to a HellholePrison where he might have died like so many other prisoners in the war.
139	* In ''Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah'', the [[RedShirt Japanese]] [[ButtMonkey military]] uses their weapons to [[DisneyVillainDeath give death to Destoroyah]] before the [[TearJerker ending]].
140	* In ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' Simmons is reduced to working for his families butcher shop, in ''[[Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon Dark of the Moon]]'' he becomes rich on selling his book about the Autobot-Decepticon war.
141	* In ''Film/GhostbustersII'', poor Louis (the ButtMonkey from the first film) gets accolades from the crowd when [[spoiler:it seems like he's the one that chased off the movie's main villain]]. He also finds love with [[spoiler:Janine Melnitz]], of all people.
142	* Milton from ''Film/OfficeSpace'' finally gets his in the end [[spoiler:when he burns down the Ini-Tech building and makes off with the money]] -- and he gets his [[TheRedStapler Swingline Stapler]] back!
143	* ''Film/TheVillain'': Cactus Jack at the end, oh so much.
144	[[/folder]]
145
146	[[folder:Music]]
147	* "Even the Losers" by Music/TomPetty.
148	-->Baby, even the losers get lucky sometime\
149	Even the losers keep a little bit of pride\
150	They get lucky sometime...
151	* Averted with "At Seventeen", Janis Ian's 1975 pop classic about teenage elitism and being shunned, where the narrator is '''''not even so much as thrown a bone''''' while all of her popular classmates get all of the attention, accolades and the cream off the crop of boys.
152	* Referenced by name in the song ''The Ballad of Ira Hayes'', written by Peter La Farge and most famously sung by Johnny Cash: "they let him raise the flag and lower it, like you'd throw a dog a bone."
153	* In 2009-10, Music/LouReed decided to make a tour inspired by ''Music/MetalMachineMusic'', meaning over an hour of [[SensoryAbuse droning sounds]] in lieu of music. [[AudienceAlienatingPremise Naturally, the concerts were full of boos and walkouts]], but the two gigs in Brazil had Reed doing something to reward whoever was left for an encore [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5gn8BVELeM by actually singing]].
154	* Music/DaftPunk's "Da Funk" music video follows Charles, a dog-man with a broken leg and a broken boombox that keeps blaring the song in question, as he walks through New York City at night. Though he's polite to everyone he meets along the way, he's generally treated brusquely by everyone he meets, and even when he has a pleasant conversation with a childhood friend named Beatrice who invites him to dinner, he can't follow her onto the bus because boomboxes aren't allowed. A few videos later, Charles returned (sans boombox or broken leg) for "Fresh" - he still has the same pleasant demeanor, but now he's a successful film actor with a CoolCar who's going out with Beatrice.
155	[[/folder]]
156
157	[[folder:Print Media]]
158	* ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'''s ''Monroe'' is occasionally thrown a bone, though they often YankTheDogsChain in the very same comic. Two examples:
159	** Getting to make out with his Irish cousin. When his parents find out, they force him to sleep in his roofless tree house in the pouring rain.
160	** Having the school bully steal his date at the cinema, but then getting him to eat a rotten hot dog he found on the floor of ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'' screening next door.
161	[[/folder]]
162
163	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
164	* During the kayfabe era in the WWF, {{Jobber}}s on television typically often didn't get got so much as any offense when they appeared on television, but many of them also appeared on televised cards at larger venues such as New York City's Madison Square Garden, where not only were they generally more competitive, some of them had solid victories over their foes. Examples include "Leaping" Lanny Poffo, Tiger Chung Lee, Danny Davis (and his masked alter-ego, Mr. X), Barry O, Scott Casey, The Moondogs (Spot, Rex and King), Los Conquistadores, Iron Mike Sharpe, S.D. Jones, Sam Houston, Tim Horner and others. Several were solid mid-carders; some had key roles in developing feuds (e.g., Davis, as part of his dishonest referee-turned-wrestler gimmick; Jones in Wrestling/AndreTheGiant's feud with Wrestling/BobbyHeenan) while others, such as the Moondogs and Sharpe had main-event matches at some point.
165	** Speaking of Los Conquistadores, they were one of the last two teams remaining at the WWF's 1988 Wrestling/SurvivorSeries, lasting 42 minutes before falling to the newly-turned-heel Wrestling/ThePowersOfPain. While they were mercilessly beaten on by the face team every time they were in the ring, they somehow survived until the very end.
166	** On occasion, in bigger promotions, the jobber, jobber-to-the-stars and mid-carders would -- particularly at BShow and [[Main/CListFodder C-Show]] house shows -- get title opportunities against champions (usually, brought along to help anchor a card or, especially if they have great potential, to show rare leadership opportunities) they would never get on television.
167	* Howard Finkel, Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s ring announcer during the 90s and early 2000s, was a ButtMonkey almost any time he had any role in any storyline. However, during a feud between the mutually mulleted Wrestling/XPac and Wrestling/JeffJarrett, Jarrett bullied Finkle (who was bald) as part of the buildup. After X-Pac won the hair versus hair match, Finkle got to help him shave Jarrett's head.
168	* Wrestling/StacyKeibler was a DesignatedMonkey for almost the entirety of her WWE career, despite being (mostly) a {{face}}: [[ShamefulStrip stripped]], spanked, bullied by both men and women, beaten to within an inch of her life on several occasions, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking constantly negatively compared to more "traditionally" beautiful Divas]] such as Wrestling/TorrieWilson and Wrestling/TrishStratus. And to top it all, she won only three matches over the course of a four-year run. But there was a brief period late in 2004 when she TookALevelInBadass, ascended to main-event status, and - arguably her proudest moment - entered a Divas' Battle Royal at that year's ''Taboo Tuesday'' and managed to stay in the ring for most of the match, outlasting every other face Diva.
169	** WWE actually had [[WhatCouldHaveBeen a much bigger bone]] planned for her: Stacy was originally booked to win Taboo Tuesday and become Women's Champion. However, the day of the match, she told the WWE brass she didn't deserve to be champion, as she was not a wrestler. Instead, they did a half-hearted StatusQuoIsGod by letting Wrestling/MollyHolly (the woman Stacy pinned three weeks in a row going into Taboo Tuesday) be the one to eliminate her. Stacy fully reverted back to her FauxActionGirl status shortly afterwards, losing a bra-and-panties match to newcomer Wrestling/ChristyHemme.
170	* Wrestling/ZackRyder had been WWE's ButtMonkey for years, but at Wrestling/WrestleMania 32, he won the opening ladder match to become Intercontinental Champion. He lost it [[EasyComeEasyGo the next day on Raw]], but no one can take away his [=WrestleMania=] moment.
171	[[/folder]]
172
173	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
174	* A Season One episode of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' has Fozzie Bear, the usual ButtMonkey, mock the snarky critics JustForFun/StatlerAndWaldorf with the help of the guest star; the masterful Bruce Forsyth, no less, is Fozzie's accomplice in this. The bear manages to ''[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu out-snark Statler and Waldorf]] so badly that they end up hiding in their box waving a white flag''.
175	** Fozzie also gets revenge in other episodes; in the Steve Martin episode, the night's show is canceled as it was already scheduled for open auditions. One pair of auditionees are Statler and Waldorf; Fozzie goes up to their balcony to mock them. Another episode has him do the same thing during Statler and Waldorf's take on an actual opening number. "Bring on the bear!"
176	** Also, any Swedish Chef sketch that doesn't end with him being attacked by his cuisine or otherwise harmed -- examples include "Chicken in the Basket", "Chocolate Moose" (note the spelling), and his use of ''guns'' to make doughnuts and a salad respectively!
177	** In the Muppet Labs sketches, any time Beaker comes out better than Dr. Bunsen Honeydew -- or at least the doctor doesn't get off scot free. This especially counts for the Mac Davis episode where Beaker accidentally makes several clones of himself, which spend most of the remainder of the episode chasing Honeydew around.
178	* ''Series/SesameStreet'': Bert is usually the one to lose out in his and Ernie's games, yet in the game where Bert mimics Ernie's drumming, he wins the game, and when they play the rhyming game, both of them end up having fun.
179	[[/folder]]
180
181	[[folder:Roleplay]]
182	* In ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'', after [[RunningGag constantly getting interrupted every time he tried before]], Rex finally manages to propose to Amanda during the FinalBattle. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, this quickly turned into a case of YankTheDogsChain when Amanda was suddenly killed off a few posts later.]]
183	[[/folder]]
184
185	[[folder:Sports]]
186	* UsefulNotes/AustralianRulesFootball: Going into the 2016 season, the Western Bulldogs had only won one premiership, way back in 1954, and hadn't played in a Grand Final since 1961. During that time, they had lost seven Preliminary Finals between 1985 and 2010, narrowly avoided being merged in 1989, and suffered near-constant financial troubles. Then, in round 3, captain Bob Murphy injured his knee and was out for the season. They finished seventh after the home-and-away season, and were underdogs (pardon the pun) all through the finals -- against the West Coast Eagles in Perth, then reigning three-time premiers Hawthorn, then Greater Western Sydney in Sydney, before finally making it to the Grand Final against the top-placed Sydney Swans... '''and they won.''' Even injured captain Bob Murphy got a happy ending, with coach Luke Beveridge calling him up during the presentations and giving his premiership medal to him.
187	** The following season had Richmond win the premiership, having last won in 1980. They were up against heavy favorites Adelaide, who had placed first on the ladder for the 2017, and scored 108 against Adelaide's 60, [[CurbStompBattle even going as far as to deny them a goal in the second quarter]]. Richmond would win again in 2019 and 2020 against Greater Western Sydney and Geelong, respectively, and Adelaide got the wooden spoon in 2020.
188	* For the 2016 All-Star game, the NHL opened voting up to the fans to select some of the team members. An online campaign made a push for nominating John Scott as captain of the Pacific Division. Scott was a 33-year-old enforcer who had five goals in his entire career and who generally played a few minutes a night on the fourth line (on those nights where he wasn't relegated to the press box or sent to the minors) - he was much slower and less skilled than the All-Stars he would be playing alongside and many of the organizers thought it would be hilarious to watch him try and keep up. Scott was reportedly embarrassed at the campaign initially but, as it gained steam and he rose to the top of the fan polls, he decided to make the most of it and attend with his family, publicly reasoning that it was an opportunity he otherwise would never get. The league, upset at the mockery of what they saw as one of their premier events, quietly fumed but stated they would abide by the poll results (publicly at least - Scott would later reveal that league officials approached him in private and asked him to either decline the invite or fake an injury so that someone else could take his roster spot). However, two weeks before the All-Star game, Scott was abruptly traded from the Phoenix Coyotes to the Montreal Canadians (with some rumors indicating that Scott's inclusion in the trade had been encouraged or facilitated by the league itself), who signaled that they did not plan to use him on their team and sent him to the minors instead, potentially rendering him ineligible for inclusion in the All-Star game (as he was no longer technically an NHL player). Fans - including many who had not initially supported the campaign - were furious that Scott would not even get to attend the All-Star Game after he had been put through the campaign and, as an added kicker, Scott was being sent to the opposite side of the continent from his family when his wife was pregnant with twins. After several days of outrage from the fanbase, the NHL relented and announced that Scott would still be allowed to participate in the All-Star Game after all. The game wound up being a highlight reel for Scott - he received the loudest applause at the player introductions, scored two goals in the semi-final game, got in a mock-fight with Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks, captained his team to victory in the final game, and was voted tournament MVP despite the fact that his name was not included on the initial ballot. Scott was hoisted on his teammates shoulders while giving an interview and was approached with several sponsorship deals and a movie deal after the tournament. He would eventually retire from professional hockey at the end of the season.
189	* The sheer fact that, after '''''108 years''''', the [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Chicago Cubs]] ''finally'' won the World Series in 2016.
190	** In the late 1880's the Louisville Colonels became the doormats they would be throughout the 1890's (which contributed to the team being contracted away after the 1899 season). However there was a bright spot in 1890, when they won the American Association pennant (with 88 wins and 44 losses, and the second-place Columbus Solons were ten games behind at 79-55) and tied the World Series with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms[[labelnote:*]]now the Los Angeles Dodgers[[/labelnote]]. Bonus points since the previous season they'd been at the bottom of the Associaton at 27-111.
191	* For 636 days leading into September 20, 2018, the Cleveland Browns foot hadn't won a game even going 0-16 in 2017. The 2018 season was no different after tying in the first game and narrowly losing their second. However, after their [[RookieRedRanger newly-drafted quarterback]] Baker Mayfield rallied from a 11-point deficit after halftime to secure the franchise's firsts victory in over two years, Cleveland celebrated as if won the Super Bowl.
192	** Before this was Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-ever win in their second season in 1977 after going winless in their inaugural season.
193	[[/folder]]
194
195	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
196	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'':
197	** After years of being the game's ButtMonkey, shown [[RedShirt dying in droves]] in the fluff, getting saddled with unplayable units, and being to some extent incompatible with the current core rules, around the transition to 4th Edition the [[BadassNormal Imperial Guard]] finally got a decent codex. Their 5th edition update brought such treats as support gunships and the ability to field more tanks than any other army, pushing the guard into full WhosLaughingNow territory. They are the ''largest unified military force in the galaxy'' and get to act it.
198	** The [[EvilCounterpart Dark]] [[SpaceElves Eldar]] went over a ''decade'' without an update to their extremely limited and increasingly dated model range and notoriously unforgiving rulebook, before finally getting not just a codex packed full of background fluff and viable units, but some of the most detailed models Creator/GamesWorkshop has ever produced.
199	** The Fall of Cadia campaign ends with the Chaos Space Marines under Abaddon the Despoiler [[TheBadGuyWins finally steamrolling through Cadia]] [[spoiler:and blowing the entire planet to kingdom come]] after ''twelve'' similar thwarted Black Crusades, beating the combined forces of the Imperium, the Eldar, the Necrons and [[spoiler:the Dark Eldar and Harlequins]].
200	[[/folder]]
201
202	[[folder:Web Animation]]
203	* In ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', Cuddles (the character who has died the most) and Giggles (the runner-up) are in a relationship. Episodes showing this, however, end with both of them dying horribly...except for one. The episode "I Nub You" have them as a counterpoint to the romance between Handy and the newly-handless Petunia. (Cuddles pushes Giggles on a swing: Handy finds doing the same tricky, so they just ride a see-saw; Cuddles and Giggles hold hands: Handy and Petunia tie their bandages together, and so on). Although Petunia and Handy, as the stars of the episode, die horribly, Cuddles and Giggles get to live.
204	* ''WebAnimation/MyLittlePonyMeets'':
205	** Lyra and Bonbon are victims of constant physical abuse, without doing anything to deserve it, what so ever. But in [[spoiler:Toucan LDM meets My Little Pony, they manage to lore ''the very creator of the show'' to Ponyville, and [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown get to have a little well deserved payback.]]]]
206	*** To a much lesser extent in [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsa]] meets, where it briefly looks like they are going to be hit by something.. only for nothing to happen.
207	*** Subverted in ComicBook/TheJoker meets, where they see The Batmobile about to crash into them, like it did in the original ''ComicBook/BatMan'' meets, only for Lyra to grab Bonbon saying "not this time" and teleporting them away at the last second... [[spoiler:off of a cliff.]]
208	** After being beat up in early episodes, Spike actually gets to be a hero in both [[WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]] meets where he aids Rarity in saving the titular character and ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' meets, where in his "monster form" he fights '''Godzilla to a draw''' and is celebrated by Ponyville, after [[spoiler:convincing the Kaiju to go peacefully.]]
209	* In ''WebAnimation/RWBYChibi'' after spending three seasons of being ignored, mocked and all around being the ButtMonkey, Jaune gets his due in "JNPR Dreams" where he's Huntsman of the Year and Team RWBY, JNPR, Penny and Velvet all cheer for him. In the waking world, the rest of Jaune's teammates are just amused by it with Pyrrha asking Ren and Nora not to wake him as he looks so adorable.
210	[[/folder]]
211
212	[[folder:Webcomics]]
213	* ''WebComic/EerieCuties'': Life is [[ButtMonkey rarely good]] [[NiceGuy to Ace]], but his one (and only) bout of good fortune was the time [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/hello_aceford he and Brooke]] [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/move-it-around_powers were together.]] Predictably, [[YankTheDogsChain it wasn't allowed to last.]]
214	* ''WebComic/MagickChicks'': With all Faith [[TheAce has going for her]], you'd think she has it made: popularity, sex appeal, and ''[[SuperpowerLottery unimaginable power]]''. Yet all she wants, [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/enjoying_the_perks is Tiffany's love]], but she thinks of Faith as the enemy. Still, there was the one time Tiffany [[SmoochOfVictory consented to]] [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/hero_get_a_kiss a kiss]], after Faith had fought valiantly to try to protect her.
215	* In [[http://www.melonpool.com/d/20040619.html this]] ''Webcomic/{{Melonpool}}'' strip, Mayberry FINALLY gets to watch the one episode of Star Trek he never saw.
216	* "Phoenix Rising" is so far the only story arc in ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' that ends with Oasis in a healthy emotional state. While she ''does'' leave behind the friends she made in Podunkton to [[WalkingTheEarth Walk The Earth]], she's at least on good terms with them and seems to have gotten some peace of mind. Beats the hell out of her previous appearances, which all ended with her either LeftForDead or locked up in an insane asylum.
217	** [[spoiler:However it's recently been revealed that after she left all her friends bar the old martial artist have been kidnapped and locked up by hereti corp, the source of all her problems]].
218	* In ''Webcomic/AnsemRetort'', Riku spends the whole strip being TheChewToy to a degree that makes you feel the EmoTeen qualities are [[JustifiedTrope justified.]] Then Yuffie comes along. There are exactly two official couples (Zexion/anything female does not count) and he's now one of them. Enjoy your bone, doggie. [[spoiler:She eventually dumps him. For his own FutureBadass self.]]
219	* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', Tavros is almost certainly the greatest {{woobie}} in a whole species of woobies: he was crippled by KillerGameMaster Vriska ForTheEvulz, rendering him in a [[WheelchairWoobie wheelchair]] on a planet that includes mandatory tests of physical ability as a requirement to merely ''survive'' to reach ''childhood'', and is mocked cruelly by Vriska afterwards by shooting down his attempts at self-confidence and creating for him a house ''[[CrossesTheLineTwice full of stairs]]''. And then [[TeamMom Kanaya]] intervenes, persuading her to do something nice, and she alchemizes a rocket chair for him to realize his dream of flying. D'awww.
220	** Much later right before the end of the comic. Dead!Tavros has [[spoiler:recruited a literal ''army'' of [[AllianceOfAlternates ghosts]] for the FinalBattle against [[BigBad Lord English]]]]. Vriska is astonished that Tavros has done something not only right but actually pretty awesome, which prompts Tavros to go into a "Suck It, Serket" dance for several strips. It only ends when Vriska agrees to acknowledge Tavros' achievement on the condition that he ''stop dancing''.
221	* ''Webcomic/{{Newshounds}}'': Ferris the Rat, after ''years'' of wanting to sell an idea to Hollywood, [[http://newshounds.keenspot.com/d/20101224.html finally does.]].
222	%% * ''WebComic/{{Precocious}}'': Jacob, usually TheChewToy, has had a couple of moments in the sun.
223	* In the final ''Webcomic/ItSucksToBeWeegie'' comic, after years of being a ChewToy second banana, [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi]] gets a genuine "thank you" and a kiss from Toadette.
224	* ''Webcomic/GirlsWithSlingshots'': Tucker, the resident ButtMonkey and clueless with women DoggedNiceGuy, ends up hooking up with Jamie's younger and super-hot sister Fiona. Much to [[IceQueen Beatrice]]'s disbelief and Fiona's older sister, Jamie's, glee.
225	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': The Flumphs are recurring minor characters who get mistreated in about every one of their appearances, most often by serving as LivingCrashpad for the main characters. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1090.html Except for one time in Book 6]], where they are left untouched while crossing the Dwarven lands, since technically they aren't trespassing because they're levitating and never touching the ground.
226	-->'''Flumph:''' Why can't more places we visit treat us this well?
227	* In ''Webcomic/RubyQuest'', the players [[spoiler:manage to give Jay, a bird who'd been [[AndIMustScream trapped in the water filtration for who knows how long]] his happy ending by freeing him from his situation and taking him on as their EleventhHourRanger, instead of {{Mercy Kill}}ing him [[OffTheRails like Weaver expected]]]].
228	[[/folder]]
229
230	[[folder:Websites]]
231	* ''Website/SCPFoundation'': SCP-053 and SCP-682 are this to each other. 053 is a little girl who drives everyone over the age of 10 to try to kill her by her mere presence, and 682 is an OmnicidalManiac who the Foundation has tried to kill uncountable times and seems to hold our entire world in utter disgust. 053 draws flowers on 682, who cuddles with her.
232	** The Foundation, for all its ruthlessness, has an entire division dedicated to enforce this trope, the Ethics Committee. Their job is pretty much to make sure sentient [=SCP=]s are treated more or less humanely (or at least not worse than what's necessary) and make sure the Foundation never goes too far. Some tales places them as equal to or even above the O5 council.
233	[[/folder]]
234
235	[[folder:Web Videos]]
236	* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'':
237	** Santa Christ wiping ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial'' from the Critic's mind. Seeing as how the Critic was pretty much made to be abused... we guess [[EvenEvilHasStandards even Doug and Rob have limits.]]
238	** The ending of his "Commercials Special" is more obvious. After being nearly completely broken, he gets his confidence back through [[TheCastShowoff a song]].
239	** "Sequel Month" saw the Critic being put through the wringer by some incredibly bad movies. The next video after that was ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'', in which he was upbeat, enthusiastic and thought the film was fantastic SoBadItsGood fun.
240	* ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights'':
241	** At the end of the film, Linkara [[RunningGag finally]] gets to sing something.
242	** Earlier, there was [[spoiler:the reveal that WebVideo/ThatDudeInTheSuede was the next guardian]], which not only lead to a very sweet reunion for many of the reviewers, but meant that the very tired crew was spared one fight and were lead directly to the Gauntlet.
243	** Though he won't realize it until the next movie, Ma-Ti saves the world and is mourned by Critic and the others.
244	* In ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'', Ma-Ti becomes a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds, wanting Critic to destroy the world because of how he treated him. Instead, Critic apologizes for the abuse and tells the kid that he was always useful.
245	* Since LetsPlay/{{Strippin}} agreed to [[NerdsAreSexy model shirtless]] if the LetsPlay/{{Yogscast}} raised over £80,000 in 2012 for charity, he was allowed to shave Tom ([=IBringTheFunk=]) when they raised over one million dollars the next year. [[Music/{{Area 11}} Sparkles*]] lampshaded this.
246	* LetsPlay/SimonLane tends to jokingly mock LetsPlay/KimRichards on a regular basis, but after he was nominated to do the ALS Ice Bucket challenge, he let Kim pour the cold water on his head.
247	* ''WebVideo/SuperMarioLogan'':
248	** After constantly being rejected and having a lot of extremely painful mishaps, Mario finally gets a girlfriend (Rosalina) in "Mario's New Girlfriend", and the episode ends with him keeping her.
249	** In Part 5 of the "Chef Pee Pee Quits!" saga, Chef Pee Pee managed to get a job at [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys Freddy Fazbear's Pizza]] which turned out to be a dream job and was all he could have ever wanted, given the animatronics made him pizza and he was being appreciated. By the end of the episode, he still has the job. [[YankTheDogsChain Too bad the place burned down by Part 6]].
250	** "[[BirthdayEpisode Chef Pee Pee's Birthday Surprise!]]" has Bowser Junior realize it's Chef Pee Pee's Birthday and throw a surprise party for him. He screws up a lot while doing it, but Chef Pee Pee still enjoys the party.
251	* WebVideo/MrBallen's most popular RunningGag is to alter the typical [=YouTuber=] phrase of "hitting" or "smashing" the Like button into comical scenarios abusing the button as if it were a real person. This can run the gamut from harmless pranks all the way to murder. On one occasion, however, rather than suggesting something mean, he says to "gently give the Like button a hug" because of all the crap he's been putting it through, and that it "needs a break."
252	[[/folder]]
253
254	[[folder:Real Life]]
255	* [[http://www.inquisitr.com/342012/victim-of-school-prank-becomes-homecoming-princess-town-rallies-to-fight-bullying/ Whitney Kropp, a bullying victim at Ogemaw Heights High School,]] was nominated for homecoming queen by her tormentors as a Literature/{{Carrie}}-inspired prank. The prank [[NiceJobFixingItVillain backfired]] and it got the town to ''support'' Whitney and Whitney ended up ''winning'' the crown for Homecoming queen.
256	* The ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'' has been helpful to actors and characters.
257	** While Creator/HenryCavill did have some lead roles in shows and movies, he was also [[ButtMonkey infamous]] for getting snubbed on getting major roles from various studios in favor of other actors, most notably by Creator/RobertPattinson for the role of Cedric Diggory in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' movie series and Superman for the movie that became ''Film/SupermanReturns''. That all changed when Zack Snyder gave him a second chance at playing the latter in the ContinuityReboot film ''Film/ManOfSteel''.
258	** Wonder Woman ''finally'' getting to appear in a live-action film after years of the movie project going nowhere - especially considering that Warner Bros. executives were on the fence about letting her have a movie, leading to the now-infamous Tweet from Brett White about how DC didn't want to do Wonder Woman because it was too confusing, while Marvel was working on ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'', which has a raccoon using machine guns. Taken even further once it was confirmed that she would be getting a standalone film before Marvel could release [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 a female-led movie.]] And ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' became the most acclaimed of the DCEU flicks and a massive box office hit.
259	** This is also the case for her actress Creator/GalGadot, who had a decently successful modeling career but was having trouble finding roles in Hollywood, with her only role of note up to that point being Gisele Yashar in the ''The Fast and Furious'' franchise. She was even thinking of quitting acting altogether before getting cast as Wonder Woman.
260	** The story goes that Creator/BenAffleck was vying to be Batman during the period between ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and ''Film/BatmanBegins'', but because of the DevelopmentHell he took on ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'' as the closest thing. His career tanking from ''Film/{{Gigli}}'' didn't help, either. Even after rebuilding his career by being both actor and director, he admitted to being surprised when he was approached to be Batman because he was getting older and couldn't play a 20-something or 30-something Batman, and was delighted to learn they were going in the ''[[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns Dark Knight Returns]]'' direction for ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice''. Unfortunately, after the notoriously TroubledProduction going on for the [[Film/JusticeLeague2017 theatrical cut]] of ''Justice League'', it went south because Affleck ended up going back to rehab, and had to give up the cape and cowl as well the director's chair for ''The Batman''.
261	* Creator/MichaelBell, who voiced Prowl and Swoop among others, in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'', expressed interest in returning to the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' franchise for years, auditioning to reprise the roles of Prowl and Swoop for ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', and for Ratchet and William Fowler for ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', but these never panned out (''Animated''!Prowl went to Creator/JeffBennett, Animated!Swoop was TheSpeechless, and ''Prime''!Ratchet and Fowler were voiced by Creator/JeffreyCombs and Creator/ErnieHudson respectively). This was until he was cast as High Tide in ''Prime''[='=]s sister series ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBots''. Along with Creator/PeterCullen, Creator/FrankWelker, Creator/GreggBerger, and Dan Gilvezan, he also returned for ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'', reprising the roles of Sideswipe and Scrapper.
262	* Creator/ScottCawthon was a troubled game developer who could never quite be a success. His then-most well known game, ''Chipper and Sons Lumber Co.'', was slammed and mocked for its unintentionally creepy character designs, devastating Scott and prompting him to make one last game before finding a new career. That game was ''Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', and [[CareerResurrection his life was never quite the same afterwards]].
263	* Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio was, for the longest time, victim to a [[MemeticMutation legendary]] AwardSnub, having never won an Oscar despite many well-received roles. Come the 2016 Academy Awards, however, and the unthinkable occured - ''Film/TheRevenant'' finally earned the Oscar his fans feel he deserved.
264	* If Leo only scoring an Oscar in his sixth attempt was deemed painful, imagine how it went for both acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins (only in his fifteenth, ''Film/BladeRunner2049''), composer & songwriter Music/RandyNewman (winning Best Song for ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1'', his sixteenth attempt, after losing his fifteenth for the same film's Score) and sound mixer Kevin O'Connell (his ''twenty-first'', ''Film/HacksawRidge'').
265	* Creator/{{Nintendo}} never seemed to know what to do with ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' since its release; it was a western-developed game, meaning the Japanese company didn't have much attachment to it personally, and it was a PsychologicalHorror story, a far cry from their usual family-friendly output, leaving them to eternally renew the trademark with no follow-up. In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', all it got was a cursory mention in ''Brawl'''s Chronicle; no stickers or trophies in ''any'' of the games... until ''Ulimate'', which finally gave ''Eternal Darkness'' a nod with Alex Roivas as a Spirit to rescue.
266	* When ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' was being developed, plenty of ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' fans were hoping for [[WolfMan Jon Talbain]] to be a playable character after not being playable for any of them. While that unfortunately never happened, Ryoma Niitsuma, the developer of the game and it's [[UpdatedRerelease update, ''Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3'']], did say that [[WhatCouldHaveBeen had there been more development time]], [[http://iplaywinner.com/news/2010/10/23/niitsuma-disconfirms-characters-for-mvc3-but-gives-some-hope.html Jon would have been his pick for the series' fourth rep]]. At the very least, his fans were given some compensation with [[VideoGame/{{Okami}} Amaterasu]] getting an [[https://i2.wp.com/shoryuken.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ammy.jpg alternate DLC costume that has her strongly resembling Talbain in Ultimate]].
267	* In a rare example of a son of a bitch being thrown a bone, Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, after years of posthumous abuse, including being hung upside down and uncertainty about the disposal of his remains, was ultimately buried in a crypt in his hometown of Predannio—the only posthumous honor to ever be accorded to the dictator who inspired Hitler's twelve-year reign of terror over Germany.
268	* Music/DadiFreyr's band Gagnamagnið were selected to represent Iceland at the 2020 Series/EurovisionSongContest. Their song quickly became a viral hit online, and was widely considered to be the frontrunner to win, but the contest was cancelled for the year due to safety concerns surrounding the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. The band were reselected for the 2021 contest with a new song... but then one member of the band tested positive for the virus before their Semi-Final. The band chose [[TrueCompanions not to perform without him]] so rehearsal footage was used in lieu of a live performance. Daði was eventually invited to perform in the interval act for the 2023 Contest, as part of the "United by Music" theme, ''finally'' giving him a chance to perform live on the Eurovision stage.
269	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ThrowTheDogABone