History Main / BreakUpToMakeUp

* LeavingYouToFindMyself -- Someone breaks up and does some soul searching after.

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!This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=17021995100.53769600 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.

The protagonist pines for the unrequited love of their significant other, only to later have a breakthrough and realize their own self-worth. Sometimes they manages to [[TookALevelInBadass Take A Level In Badass]] or [[GrewASpine Grow a Spine]].

Can be related to LeavingYouToFindMyself. Not to be confused with BreakUpMakeUpScenario or MakeUpOrBreakUp.
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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
%%* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim''. Yes, even knowing the series is related to this trope is a spoiler. %% How is it an example?
%% * ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' parodies the phrase. A story is titled "Make-Up to Break Up". (I.e. BrokenMasquerade) %% How is it parodied? In what context?
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'', Susan spends half the movie trying to get back to her fiance Derek, but when they're reunited he makes it clear he no longer wants to be with her on account of her...er, [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant]] problem. Susan is initially devastated but then comes to realize that Derek was actually "a selfish jerk" who never put her first and that she doesn't need him, especially as she's done incredible things like fighting aliens by herself.
* Happens to Marianne early in ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic''. She catches her fiance Roland cheating on her ''the day of their wedding'' and is heartbroken, calling the whole thing off. She copes with it by taking up sword-fighting and becomes a more assertive, mature person; she also comes to realize she [[LovingAShadow didn't truly know]] Roland and that he only wanted her because she's [[MealTicket a princess]]. The downside is that she becomes overly cynical about love and doesn't ever let herself be vulnerable, although she resolves this when [[spoiler: she falls in mutual love with the Bog King]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
%%* ''Film/HighFidelity'' comes to mind.
* ''Film/TeenWolf'', in which Scott pines after AlphaBitch Pamela [[spoiler:and has sex with her after his wolf-form makes him popular, but after learning the BeYourself aesop, he realises that GirlNextDoor Boof had always accepted him the way he was]].
%%* ''Film/YesMan'' would be a recent example.
%%* ''Film/TheMirrorHasTwoFaces''.
* The French film ''Naissance des pieuvres'' (''Water Lilies''). Dumpy, uncool Anne spends most of the movie longing for star swimmer François, who barely deigns to notice her. However, after he [[spoiler: comes to her flat in a fit of sexual frustration and uses her for sex]] she decides he's not worth it and emphatically tells him so by [[spoiler: spitting in his mouth when he wants to kiss her.]] Anne's best friend Marie pines for star synchronised swimmer Floriane, but after a good many things have happened gives up on her as well and returns to her friendship with Anne.
%%* ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Played with in ''Series/{{Spaced}}''; Tim spends most of the first season [[{{Wangst}} pathetically moping]] about his transparently unfaithful and unworthy girlfriend Sarah. When she wants to get back with him at the end of the season, he's initially elated, but comes to his senses and breaks it off with her for good, and is much happier in the second season as a result.
* On ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'', After a misunderstanding, Billie dumped her then-boyfriend, Frank, who was Earl's friend and cellmate. Frank becomes depressed, to the point of ''attempting suicide'', and Earl tries to help him. Eventually, Billie decides to give it another chance after seeing all the stuff Frank was willing to do for her (including posting a nude photo of himself on a billboard), but Earl has found out that Billie basically gave up her dreams and her good self when she started dating Frank [[spoiler: (not to mention, Earl has feelings for Billie)]], so Earl convinces Frank to gently break up with Billie, for both his own sake and for hers.
* In ''Series/HouseofAnubis'', [[BewareTheSillyOnes Alfie]] spent the entire first season pining over [[LovableAlphaBitch Amber]]. When they finally get together, he realizes how much of a control freak she is and attempts to break up with her, only for her to tell him he cannot. [[spoiler: She later breaks up with him instead. Subverted when they reconcile in the season two finale, only to break up again when Amber is [[PutOnABus sent to fashion school]]]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* "Lose You to Love Me" by Music/SelenaGomez describes this in a nutshell. The song details a relationship in which Gomez always put her significant other first [[AllTakeAndNoGive but it wasn't reciprocated]], which she initially turned a blind eye to out of love despite the fact it was wearing her down. In the end, she had to break off the relationship for her own wellbeing and thus learned to love ''herself''.
* "Since U Been Gone" by Music/KellyClarkson describes the singer's relief at her relationship being over, even stating "I can breathe for the first time", due to her ex manipulating her into believing they fully returned her feelings and making little effort to reciprocate. It's implied the ex tries to win Clarkson back but she's already moved on and is happier for it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
* In Myth/PacificMythology, there is a JustSoStory about why there is a leeward and windward side to (specifically) the Big Island. [[PlayingWithFire Pele]] fell in love with a trickster demigod named Kamapua'a. Sometimes their relationship was happy; other times not so much. In one incident, they got into a terrible domestic dispute. Pele sent her lava out, and Kamapua'a covered Hale'u'mau'mau Crater (her official home) with large fern leaves to suffocate her with her own smoke. When the two lovers realized that their BelligerentSexualTension would likely [[DestructiveRomance destroy both of them]], they called a truce. They called off the relationship for good, and divided the island of Hawai'i in half, with Kamapua'a getting the rainy (but fertile) windward side, and Pele getting the drier and sunnier leeward side.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Possible example in ''Manga/DNAngel'', in which Daisuke does not get his original love interest and gets taught a lesson that [[FirstGirlWins your first love isn't necessarily your only love]].
[[/folder]]

The protagonist pines for the unrequited love of their significant other, only to later have a breakthrough and realize their own self-worth. Sometimes he/she manages to [[TookALevelInBadass Take A Level In Badass]] or [[GrewASpine Grow a Spine]].

* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim''. Yes, even knowing the series is related to this trope is a spoiler.
* ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' parodies the phrase. A story is titled "Make-Up to Break Up". (I.e. BrokenMasquerade)

* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim''. Yes, even knowing the series is related with this trope is a spoiler.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'', Susan spends half the movie trying to get back to her fiance Derek, but when they're reunited he makes it clear he no longer wants to be with her on account of her...er, [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant]] problem. Susan is initially devastated, but then comes to realize that Derek was actually "a selfish jerk" who never put her first and that she doesn't need him, especially as she's done incredible things like fighting aliens by herself.

* In Myth/OceanianMythology, there is a JustSoStory about why there is a leeward and windward side to (specifically) the Big Island. [[PlayingWithFire Pele]] fell in love with a trickster demigod named Kamapua'a. Sometimes their relationship was happy; other times not so much. In one incident, they got into a terrible domestic dispute. Pele sent her lava out, and Kamapua'a covered Hale'u'mau'mau Crater (her official home) with large fern leaves to suffocate her with her own smoke. When the two lovers realized that their BelligerentSexualTension would likely [[DestructiveRomance destroy both of them]], they called a truce. They called off the relationship for good, and divided the island of Hawai'i in half, with Kamapua'a getting the rainy (but fertile) windward side, and Pele getting the drier and sunnier leeward side.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVersusAliens'', Susan spends half the movie trying to get back to her fiance Derek, but when they're reunited he makes it clear he no longer wants to be with her on account of her...er, [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever giant]] problem. Susan is initially devastated, but then comes to realize that Derek was actually "a selfish jerk" who never put her first and that she doesn't need him, especially as she's done incredible things like fighting aliens by herself.

The protagonist pines for the unrequited love of their significant other, only to later have a breakthrough and realize their own self-worth. Sometimes he/she manages to [[TookALevelInBadass Take A Level In Badass]].

[[folder:Film]]