Basic Trope: A character who used to be successful in their early years but now is cynical and washed-up.
- Straight: Bob was a bright, successful high school student who graduated with honors. Nowadays, he's a cynic who works at a low-paying job.
- Exaggerated: Bob used to be a successful movie star, but now has become a pessimistic, drug-addicted NEET who hates everyone, including his wife and kids (if they haven't even left him yet).
- Downplayed: While nowhere near a failure, Bob isn't as successful as he used to be. His self-esteem has dropped a little, but nowhere near the point of cynicism.
- Justified:
- Bob lost the motivation and the drive to work on furthering his success.
- Bob's early success came because of a natural talent he had, such as being a star athlete. When circumstances took it away, whether it was a Career-Ending Injury, choking in the championship game, or he simply couldn't maintain it at the next level, his success faded quick.
- Inverted: Bob used to never made anything of himself, but now has become successful husband and father of two children.
- Subverted: Bob is actually happier flipping burgers and disliked the attention and fame that came with his previous success.
- Double Subverted: ???
- Parodied: ???
- Zig Zagged: ???
- Averted: Bob remains successful.
- Enforced: ???
- Lampshaded: "There's Bob now. He used to have so much promise. Now he's just a loser who doesn't amount to anything."
- Invoked: ???
- Exploited: Alice easily recruits Bob into her scheme by promising a return of his glory days.
- Defied: Bob tries to motivate himself to succeed just to avoid hearing people jeer at him for being a loser.
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: ???
Don't go back to Jaded Washout. You'll only see that going back there is going to lead you on a long, long trail of depression and hopelessness.
