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A Jerkass softens over time, and becomes either a Jerk with a Heart of Gold or not a jerk at all. Usually this can be due to Character Development. Badass Decay and Heel Face Turn may be involved as well. In some cases this may be a case of Characterization Marches On; as the series progresses, the writers realized that a nicer character fit the changing tone better than the original idea.

If done over the course of one episode or short-story, this may have been to set up an Aesop.

Naturally, the Counter Trope of Took a Level in Jerkass. Compare to Defrosting Ice Queen, which focuses on a specific Love Interest bringing a character out of their shell.

Example subpages:

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Comic Books

W.I.T.C.H.: In the original, comic book continuity (different of the animated series adaptation continuity), Vathek, one of the main villains of the first arc, is a cruel, aggressive and arrogant bastard. At the half of the arc, he's sent to spy on the good guys but ends up genuinely sympathizing with them and pulls a Heel Face Turn. Character Development and Hidden Depths show their faces, and at the end of the arc, he's a real Gentle Giant.

Fan Fiction

Calvin and Hobbes: The Series� iteration of Calvin is much more likely to do the right thing than his comic counterpart.
In The Best Night Ever, a core focus of the story is Prince Blueblood taking several levels in kindness.
Soul Chess has Soifon of all people take a few levels in kindness. The reason? Yoruichi took Soifon with her when she left Soul Society.
The Wizard In The Shadows has Denethor take one after a Heel Realisation.
Precia in Game Theory. At the very least, she makes an effort to act pleasant instead of abusing Fate, so she's already miles ahead of her canon counterpart, and she does seem to get somewhat genuinely nicer as the story progresses.
In Address Unknown, Rainbow Dash grudgingly agrees to take care of a temporarily blinded Derpy, who has recently started a relationship with Twilight. While trying to get to sleep on Derpy's couch, she is forced to confront her responsibility for contributing to Derpy's lifelong misery, and makes a tearful apology the following morning. Derpy forgives her and the two agree to start over.
In the Total Drama story, Legacy, both Heather and Duncan have grown up, figuratively as well as literally, in the ten years since they were on the show. Duncan has even learned basic precepts of chivalry.

Films — Live-Action

The film Son Of Godzilla is the start of showing the King Of The Monster's more loving fatherly side. Especially towards the end where he embraces his new son to keep him from freezing to death.
In Bad Santa, the main character starts being a complete Jerk Ass, but eventually becames a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
Had Phil Connors of Groundhog Day not done so, he probably would never have broken out of his temporal prison.

Webcomics

Karkat in Homestuck becomes less of a Troll and more interested in the success of his prior antagonists. And if he's not a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, at least he's a shrewd enough leader to know when to play Team Mom for the other trolls.
- John, too. As he becomes more of a Messiah — especially when contrasted with the other kids' Character Development, which often took them in darker directions — it can be hard to remember that this is the same guy that who, in his first pesterlog, responded to Dave's gleeful discovery of a bottle of apple juice by joking that it might actually be full of pee.
EB: all im saying is don't you think monster howie mandel has the power to do something as simple as reseal a bottle?
EB: try using your brain numbnuts.