I used to be such a sweet sweet thing 'til they got a hold of me.
With me, and I'm gettin' real shot down and I'm feeling mean.
When a character grows into a
jerkass over time (sometimes not much of it at all). Can be due to
flanderization, a
Face Heel Turn, or just another regular albeit unfortunate case of
Character Development. While a
Jerk Ass growing into a
Jerk with a Heart of Gold is a common phenomenon, especially in dramas, a reversal, resulting in this trope, is also common, especially in comedies.
This can also cause tropes like
What the Hell, Hero?, though whether if the character changes for the better after that is well
Depending on the Writer.
See also
Took a Level in Badass,
Took a Level in Dumbass,
Cynicism Catalyst and
Jumping Off the Slippery Slope. When a character has this temporary for the sake of the plot, the
Jerkass Ball is present. The
Counter Trope to
Took a Level in Kindness. Contrast
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, who was always a jerk. A character taking his/her level in jerkassitude was genuinely nice.
Examples
