History Main / ChronicVillainy

* ''Anime/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'': Malty Melromarc continues to act like such an unrepentant sociopath even when it's so clearly against her own best interests that she appears genuinely incapable of ''not'' trying to hurt people. [[spoiler: The original web novel gives a dark justification for this. As a fragment and puppet of [[GreaterScopeVillain Medea Pideth Machina]] it's questionable whether she really ''does'' have such autonomy. That said, with Medea being adapted out of later adaptations, Malty falls squarely back into this trope in the light novels and anime.]]

If done right, it's {{Tragedy}}. If done wrong, it seems like an AssPull. The likelihood that the writer's attempt falls flat is greater when the real reason for villain's relapse is not the result of an honest artistic decision, but is merely catering to the demands of StatusQuoIsGod. A sadistic god indeed, who will [[YankTheDogsChain never, ever allow]] the [[HeelFaceDoorSlam villain redemption]], no matter how many times he tries during the series' long, long run and many spinoffs, it will forever remain a TragicDream. Chronic Villainy is perhaps the [[DarkerAndEdgier uglier, viler]] [[EvilTwin twin]] to JokerImmunity.

* ''Anime/RisingOfTheShieldHero: Malty Melromarc continues to act like such an unrepentant sociopath even when it's so clearly against her own best interests that she appears genuinely incapable of ''not'' trying to hurt people. [[spoiler: The original web novel gives a dark justification for this. As a fragment and puppet of [[GreaterScopeVillain Medea Pideth Machina]] it's questionable whether she really ''does'' have such autonomy. That said, with Medea being adapted out of later adaptations, Malty falls squarely back into this trope in the light novels and anime.]]

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' has Team Rocket. The trio are mostly {{Punch Clock Villain}}s, and there are many times that they are able to start their own legitimate business. But they are still compelled to do their old job of stealing Pokémon, or something related to Pokémon, no matter how [[EvilIsPetty puny or mundane]] it maybe.

* ''{{ComicBook/Sabretooth}}'' is a big example, when it comes to his predatory instincts. He was [[HeelFaceBrainwashing inverted]] during ''{{ComicBook/AXIS}}'' and tried to genuinely atone for all his evil. But, the inversion wasn't meant to last. He shows signs of slipping in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2015'' when he's hunting a dinosaur and tries to reign himself in, but can't. Chapter 17 has a lengthy inner monologue with him admitting that his inverted self is a lie, but confessing that he doesn't wanna let it go. He tries to hold on to it, but the old him is coming & fighting back -the Creed who cared about nothing but the kill. He also thinks about how he daydreams of slaughtering the X-Men while he fought alongside them, because that's what he was supposed to be doing. ComicBook/MonetStCroix becomes his MoralityChain when he thinks about fighting for her -wanting to help cure her curse and stay true to his promise of keeping her secret. The run's finale showed he ran off with her. Sadly for the reformed Creed, he's not doing as well with the ''ComicBook/{{Resurrxion}}'' relaunch, He doesn't appear completely evil yet, but he's clearly not as good as before. He's [[LeftHanging no longer with Monet]] and was shown living by himself in the woods at the start of Weapon X. For now, he's focusing all his sadism & murderous tendencies on bad guys -as opposed to innocents. WordOfGod says he's going to continue exploring Creed's morality in the series.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'': After the [[{{Jerkass}} Spiteful Brake Van]] torments Douglas by deliberately making his trains late, [[BigBrotherInstinct Donald]] confronts him on this. The Spiteful Brake Van stops his ways for a while, but then he tries to do his same shtick ''again'' when Douglas is trying to assist James on Gordon's hill. Needless to say, the Spiteful Brake Van [[AssholeVictim ends up getting crushed by Douglas for his troubles]].

* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'': After the [[{{Jerkass}} Spiteful Brake Van]] torments Douglas by deliberately making his trains late, [[BigBrotherInstinct Donald]] confronts him on this. The Spiteful Brake Van stops his ways for a while, but then he tries to do his same shtick ''again'' when Douglas is trying to assist James on Gordon's hill. Needless to say, the Spiteful Brake Van [[AssholeVictim ends up getting crushed by Douglas for his troubles]].

** A major theme of more modern Batman comics is that [[NotSoDifferent Bruce Wayne may not be much saner than his rogues' gallery]], meaning that he has a heroic version of this that ''isn't'' ChronicHeroSyndrome (which is about righting every wrong you're presented with, rather than being unable to give up running about all night punching people). This is most notable in the "Going Sane" arc, in which the Joker disappeared from sight at about the same time that Batman did. Bruce, who has recovered in a small town and has been striking up a romance with the woman who nursed him back to health, returns to Gotham, hoping against hope that he won't find any trace of the Joker and can return there. Then he digs into local video rental store records and finds a lot of classic comedies being rented by a "[[PaperThinDisguise Joseph Kerr]]". He actually finds this rather upsetting.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' has Team Rocket. The trio are mostly {{Punch Clock Villain}}s, and there are many times that they are able to start their own legitimate business. But they are still compelled to do their old job of stealing Pokémon, or something related to Pokémon, no matter how [[EvilIsPetty puny or mundane]] it maybe.

* [[BigBad Yoshikage Kira]] from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' - ''Manga/DiamondIsUnbreakable''. Though he may be a [[TheSociopath sociopath]], he's still [[AffablyEvil affable]] as he genuinely [[IJustWantToBeNormal only wants to live a quiet life]]. The only reason why he's a SerialKiller at all is because his compulsions (and hand fetish) force him to. Normally, this isn't a problem for him, because his [[FightingSpirit Stand]] allows him to dispatch both victims and evidence in a clean and non-violent way, letting him go about his business. However, when he finds himself having to lay low [[spoiler:under the disguise of [[KillAndReplace Kosaku Kawajiri]]]] to throw off the heroes, he suffers [[GoingColdTurkey abstinence]] and descends into a mental breakdown.

* [[BigBad Yoshikage Kira]] from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' - ''Manga/DiamondIsUnbreakable''. Though he may be a [[TheSociopath sociopath]], he's still [[AffablyEvil affable]] as he genuinely [[IJustWantToBeNormal only wants to live a quiet life]] -- the only reason why he's a SerialKiller at all is because his compulsions (and hand fetish) force him to. Normally, this isn't a problem for him, because his [[FightingSpirit Stand]] allows him to dispatch both victims and evidence in a clean and non-violent way, letting him go about his business. However, when he finds himself having to lay low [[spoiler:under the disguise of [[KillAndReplace Kosaku Kawajiri]]]] to throw off the heroes, he suffers [[GoingColdTurkey abstinence]] and descends into a mental breakdown.

* [[BigBad Yoshikage Kira]] from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' - ''Manga/DiamondIsUnbreakable'', though he may be a [[TheSociopath sociopath]], really [[IJustWantToBeNormal only wants to live a quiet life]] -- the only reason why he's a SerialKiller at all is because his compulsions (and hand fetish) force him to. Normally, this isn't a problem for him, because his [[FightingSpirit Stand]] allows him to dispatch both victims and evidence quickly and cleanly, letting him go about his business. However, when he finds himself having to lay low [[spoiler:under the disguise of [[KillAndReplace Kosaku Kawajiri]]]] to throw off the heroes, he goes ColdTurkey and descends into a mental breakdown.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' has Team Rocket. The trio are mostly {{Punch Clock Villain}}s, and there are many times that they are able to start their own legitimate business. But they are still compelled to do their old job of stealing Pokémon, or something related to Pokémon, no matter how [[EvilIsPetty puny or mundane]] it maybe.

** After seeing his [[spoiler: biological father]] in a recent Volume 4 episode, however, this tendency might be InTheBlood. When Sylar displays his regenerative ability, [[spoiler: Daddy Gray, who is dying of lung cancer,]] tries to take it, even though he previously claimed to have gotten bored of killing and swore off it many years ago.

* Frollo from the [[Film/TheHunchback 1997 adaptation]] of ''Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' has become a villain after a very bad case of LoveMakesYouEvil regarding his forbidden lust for Esmerelda, but after Quasimodo forces him to publicly confess to a murder he has framed her for, he apparently repents and is forgiven by Quasi, and the two reconcile. Unfortunately his reformation is short-lived, as a moment later, he encounters Esmerelda again, upon which he relapes into murderous insanity and tries to kill her.

'''The Trickster:''' [[NoMedicationForMe Better off without 'em]]. Take 'em if I start feeling down.\\

'''The Trickster:''' I ''am''? ''(looking at his suit)'' Well, what do you know...

-->-- '''ComicBook/TheRiddler''', ''ComicBook/BatmanGothamAdventures'' #11

Compare ReformedButRejected, where the villain has repented and wants to go straight, but may find that the hero, or society in general, doesn't trust him enough to let him. Indeed, a particularly bad case of Reformed But Rejected can easily fuel a case of Chronic Villainy. A SelfFulfillingProphecy, courtesy of WhatTheHellHero or AllOfTheOtherReindeer. Compare also RedemptionFailure, where the villain is pushed back to TheDarkSide not by internal residue compulsions, but by external circumstances. Also compare JustAGangster, where a criminal of some kind resists attempts to make them or their business legitimate.

* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s:
** The Crown Prince of this is ComicBook/TheRiddler, who has reformed countless times, only to fall back into crime due to obsessing over beating the Bat. However, this trope still applies to a large portion of Batman's rogues gallery, most prominently, Two-Face (who is probably a [[IncrediblyLamePun close second]] to the Riddler), The Ventriloquist, Mr. Freeze, and Harley Quinn. The second version, of a character whose power makes them evil and slowly returns them to villainy, is present in Man Bat and certain incarnations of Clayface.

** A reviewer of the ''Batman'' series once went to the point of [[http://anbat.toonzone.net/btas/hag.html calling it nigh-Calvinistic.]]

** And in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', Mr. Freeze winds up as a particularly tragic example after spending most of the episode ReformedButRejected. (What's particularly tragic about that episode is that he gets a human body, and for no explicable reason, gets his ice powers back. However, Mr. Freeze has a history of tragedy in the Franchise/{{DCAU}}, and while his {{backstory}} gave him depth, his later appearances in the ''The New Batman Adventures'' made him a bit of a ButtMonkey.)

** But then, even the Penguin, often regarded as the OnlySaneMan among his enemies, had this once. In a two-part story (released as {{homage}} to the late Burgess Meredith) Cobblepot got restless and bored in his current role as TheDon, and despite having vowed to stop getting involved personally, undertook a series of crimes just to prove he was superior to Batman. He failed, but convinced Batman to let him go (as he'd likely be let OffOnATechnicality if arrested), and decided to go "back to my lounge booth - where I should have ''stayed''."

-->''I've got you now, Joker. Heaven help me...I've got you.''
* Many enemies of Franchise/TheFlash who are genuinely insane have gone through this, most prominently, Wally West's ex-girlfriend, Magenta (another case of [[SuperPoweredEvilSide psychotic power]]). Pyromaniac recidivist Heat Wave went straight with a federal job...but he burnt down a bar he went to after leaving the office. (Frustratingly, this came after a pretty lengthy period of nonvillainy--the character has been straight for nearly as long as he's been a criminal.)

* The [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Sandman]], [[IAmNotShazam no, not that one]], reformed somewhere in the '80s after going through BodyHorror, and became a reserve Avenger and joined ComicBook/SilverSable's Wildpack for a while. Then John Byrne got his mitts on him again, and had the Wizard [[RetCon hypnotize him into his "proper" personality]], then he nearly turned good in an early 2000 Peter Parker: Spider-Man comic in which he split into four different Sandmen (and one Sandwoman), but at the end of the story, his evil side takes over his good side, and his good side, [[ItMakesSenseInContext outside of the main body collaboration]], dies.
* UsefulNotes/{{The Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}} Comicbook/{{Superman}} story "Luthor Unleashed" has [[ComicBook/LexLuthor Lex]] suffer one painful defeat too many at Superman's hands, and decides to throw in the towel. He retires to the alien planet where he had once taken a wife (whom he had, till then, shamefully neglected) and tries to settle down to be a model citizen there. He even has a child. But despite his best efforts, he can't stop obsessing over the fact that Superman beat him. He finally builds a suit of PoweredArmor in anticipation of Superman tracking him down, but then uses it to relieve his tensions by using it to wreak havoc on his new home, becoming its first {{supervillain}}. Superman does indeed arrive, and in the ensuing fight, Lex accidentally detonates a powerful [[AppliedPhlebotinum gizmo]] and blows up the planet, killing his wife and infant son. He blames Superman and ends up more obsessed with his destruction than ever before.
** This is a pretty defining point about Lex Luthor and one of the best and most tragic examples. In many stories, Lex is a man who genuinely wants to do right by humanity and use his intellect for good. Its just that he can never get past his hatred of Superman. It also leads into the selfish spect of his personality: He wants to destroy Superman so the world will see him as the true savior of mankind.
* [[ComicBook/{{Venom}} Eddie Brock]], the former Venom, even after being separated from the symbiote. While trying to be a hero as Anti-Venom, [[spoiler: he discovered that his benefactor, Mr. Li, was the {{supervillain}} Mr. Negative]]. He was so disillusioned that he now struggles with homicidal urges. Bets are open as to how long it will take for him to become Venom proper again. Plus all the times he went back and forth between being a villain and an AntiHero as the regular Venom.
** Brock lost his powers as Anti-Venom and tried to go AntiHero again... by murdering other symbiotes, who he views as inherently evil. Small wonder that he's back to being AxCrazy [[spoiler: now that he's bonded to Carnage's spawn, Toxin]].
** ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' villain ComicBook/NormanOsborn has not reformed, but to the general public, it appears he has. However, nobody who actually knows him expects it to last, since everyone thinks he is going to have a VillainousBreakdown and go into a more overt form of this trope.
* ComicBook/{{Loki}} never stops trying to usurp Asgard and defeat [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] for many reasons. He is TheUnfavorite of Asgard, being a trickster magician instead of a warrior, [[FreudianExcuse and so he can never truly believe that Odin and Thor truly love him as family,]] despite the fact that every time Loki's schemes fail, Odin and Thor always eventually forgive him and give him another chance. It got so bad that Loki actually let himself die at the conclusion of "Siege" and be reborn as a relatively innocent child in an attempt to ''escape'' Chronic Villainy. As the last remnants of his past life explains to the new Loki, he had become predictable in his treachery and, as a god of chaos and trickery, he would rather die than be predictable. [[spoiler: And, predictably, all of that actually was a scheme to dupe others into thinking that Loki has truly changed (at the moment when everyone but Thor gave up any hope of redeeming him), by using Kid Loki's innocence and then overwriting his personality with the Old Loki memories. Proving once again that Loki cannot escape this trope. His younger self [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calls him out on it]], though he tries to deny it.]]
** Loki still has a problem with being properly evil though. [[spoiler:They tried that in ''Comicbook/YoungAvengers'' but [[ConscienceMakesYouGoBack their conscience stopped them]] so they attempted a HeelFaceTurn again in ''Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard''. They succeeded too... and may or may not died in the process. Loki's a walking MindScrew.]]

* ''{{ComicBook/Sabretooth}}'' is a big example, when it comes to his predatory instincts. He was [[HeelFaceBrainwashing inverted]] during ''{{ComicBook/AXIS}}'' and tried to genuinely atone for all his evil. But, the inversion wasn't meant to last. He shows signs of slipping in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2015'' when he's hunting a dinosaur and tries to reign himself in, but can't. Chapter 17 has a lengthy inner monologue with him admitting that his inverted self is a lie, but confessing that he doesn't wanna let it go. He tries to hold on to it, but the old him is coming & fighting back -the Creed who cared about nothing but the kill. He also thinks about how he daydreams of slaughtering the X-Men while he fought alongside them, because that's what he was supposed to be doing. [[Characters/GenerationX Monet St. Croix]] becomes his MoralityChain when he thinks about fighting for her -wanting to help cure her curse and stay true to his promise of keeping her secret. The run's finale showed he ran off with her.
** Sadly for the reformed Creed, he's not doing as well with the ''ComicBook/ResurrXion'' relaunch, He doesn't appear completely evil yet, but he's clearly not as good as before. He's [[LeftHanging no longer with Monet]] and was shown living by himself in the woods at the start of Weapon X. For now, he's focusing all his sadism & murderous tendencies on bad guys -as opposed to innocents. WordOfGod says he's going to continue exploring Creed's morality in the series.
* A downplayed case in ''ComicBook/SpirouAndFantasio''; when Zantafio was first introduced in ''Spirou et les Héritiers'' as a crooked rival to Fantasio for their uncle's legacy, the book ended with him saving Spirou and Fantasio, reconciling with them and giving up on the legacy (despite Fantasio being willing to share it), deciding instead to make his own life in Palombia. When he came back in ''Le Dictateur et le Champignon'', it turned out he had become a ruthless dictator in Palombia and was now planning to make a WarForFunAndProfit, putting him in an antagonistic role once again. Every appearance after this has despicted him as possibly the vilest character in the series.

* Michael Corleone in ''Film/TheGodfather'' Saga: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
** [[EvilParentsWantGoodKids His father, Vito, wanted to avert this chronic loop]] and was truly brokenhearted when he failed.
* Well done by Mickey Rourke in the titular character of ''Film/JohnnyHandsome''.

* ''Film/ShotCaller'': Jacob continues the Aryan Brotherhood's activities as soon as he's out of prison, as [[ResignationsNotAccepted the only acceptable retirement is death]]. Ultimately, [[spoiler:he gives up his freedom and usurps control over the entire organization as the sole method to reliably protect his family from reprisals.]]

* In ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'', [[MadScientist Dr. Impossible]] ''knows'' that [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption no matter how perfectly he builds his machines, no matter how well he prepares his world domination plot, no matter what he does]], [[FlyingBrick the invincible superhero Corefire]] will just waltz through all his weapons and defenses, beat him up, and put him back in jail. [[HumiliationConga Probably on live television]]. But as of the book's start, he's on his thirteenth attempt.
** He also mentions that people at the extreme far end of the intelligence bell curve - like him - suffer from "Malign Hypercognition Disorder", which compels them to be evil {{supervillain}}s and try to TakeOverTheWorld. Even though he knows he'd be [[CutLexLuthorACheck better off using his genius in more legal ways]], he can't help trying to conquer the world.

*** By and large, Buffyverse takes the stance that though Spike may have genuinely loved while soulless and made a pretty big effort to defy his nature, he never quite could properly navigate morality without his soul, which often lead to him falling back on this trope. To his credit, once he has his soul, he remains firmly on the side of good--albeit in a KnightInSourArmor and GoodIsNotNice sort of way, though he cranks the FriendlyNeighbourhoodVampire shtick UpToEleven in the comics.
* Arvin Sloane from ''Series/{{Alias}}'' appears to go straight a few times (though whether the attempts were genuine is debatable) but he inevitably has to get involved with the prophecies of Rambaldi that he has an obsession with. One particularly disturbing scene has a {{Mook}} who states that Rambaldi's ultimate plan was to become immortal, causing Sloane to snap at his shallowness and beat him to death. (While that season showed that Rambaldi's plan was far more than immortality, the next season showed that a key part of it ''was'' immortality, which Sloane pursued with disturbing gusto.)

* in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' Gold's arc is built over playing with this trope. He becomes too reliant on the power dark magic has to offer him, and eventually misses out on all the uppotunities he had to become a good man and a hero, no matter what he had to sacrifice in order to get this uppotunity (his wife, his child - twice, his second marriage...)

* ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' realizes several times, most prominently after the feast, the wrongness of what he's done and that he still has a chance to turn back. [[IgnoredEpiphany He doesn't.]]
* Similarly, ''Theatre/DoctorFaustus'' ''almost'' repents frequently throughout the play, but keeps convincing himself that he's too far gone, even when ''an angel'' tells him otherwise. Even as he's about to be sent to Hell for eternity, Faustus [[TooDumbToLive makes a speech begging to be given more time to live so he can repent, even though he could easily just repent then and there and save himself.]]

* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'''s [[spoiler: Kirei Kotomine]], so, so very much. He perfectly understands right and wrong, just the 'switch' inside humans where we [[GoodFeelsGood feel good for doing good]] is stuck [[EvilFeelsGood the other way]]. Did some evil, felt happy, realised he was doing evil, tried to do good, became a priest specialising in healing magic, and settled down with a family. His wife died, and he realised that all he felt was disappointment that he hadn't been able to kill her. He then realises that he is utterly unable to get any pleasure from life unless he's causing pain and suffering. From there, it just took a small push ([[SarcasmMode thank you]], [[Literature/FateZero Gilgamesh]]) for him to try to unleash every evil known to mankind on the world. When TheHero asks him why he's doing it, he replies with a speech that can be summed up as: [[ForTheEvulz "Just as some people find music or art entertaining, I can only find amusement in watching other people suffer."]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', we have Jet, a character with [[FreudianExcuse justified obsessions]] with taking down the Fire Nation, and [[WellIntentionedExtremist incredibly unjustified actions]] towards that aim. Eventually, he decides to stop and [[IJustWantToBeNormal try to live a normal life]] as a refugee. However, [[spoiler:upon discovering that Zuko and Iroh are Fire Nation (they were technically lying about being escaped Earth Kingdom POW's, but were still harmless nonetheless), [[CassandraTruth his attempts to convince others of this fall on deaf ears]], and his obsessions get the better of him, eventually resulting in him openly attacking them in a crowded shop, getting arrested, Brainwashed, [[BrainwashedandCrazy sent to kill the Avatar]], and eventually KilledOffForReal.]] Ouch.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/WordGirl'' episode [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ZLYe0N3vo "Tobey Goes Good"]], Tobey [=McCallister=] III finally realizes that, to win [=WordGirl=]'s affections, he must convert to the side of truth and justice. However, this is completely wiped away once his completely superior, humongous robot loses "The Young Inventors Challenge and Friendly Competition" to a combined apple and egg slicer because the judge liked the free food.

* ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' had an episode with the villain Jack Spicer offering to study with the heroes at the temple and become a xiaolin monk himself. His greed and ambition eventually get the better of him when he's presented with an opportunity to steal their ''Shen Gong Wu''. The rules of a subsequent Xiaolin Showdown force him to talk to Omi about his betrayal and admit that he really was trying to reform.
** In an even straighter example of the trope, the only reason he ran away was because he was afraid that he was not good at being good, and [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption Failure Was The Only Option]]. Maybe Spicer's a bit smarter than we'd guess.
* A ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' episode had him befriending Plankton. Everything seemed fine until Plankton steals a krabby patty.

** In ''Ultimate Alien'', the Vreedle Brothers were last seen having reformed from their life of crime and became [[SpaceCop Plumbers]], even ending up opposing their mother when she tried taking them back in crime. Comes ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'', we learn they ended up blowing up the Plumber Academy for fun, left and became thugs again.
* A particularly sadistic exemple in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', where Dr Hugo Strange eventually succeeds in curing the Ventriloquist from his insanity. The guy immediately tries to go back to a normal life... but Strange, [[PsychoPsychologist being who he is]], immediately works to ruin his life and turn him insane again for the sole sake of seeing how it'll turn out. By the end of the episode, he is back to being a criminal.
* ComicBook/NormanOsborn in ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'' is cured from his mutation into the Goblin at the end of ''Venom's Bomb''. As he is trying to get back to a normal life, he genuinely attempts to make up for his crimes, tries to be a better father to Harry, and even becomes a super-hero as Iron Patriot. Sadly, a few episodes later, Dr Octopus, still trying to get revenge on him, kidnaps him and turns him back into the Goblin.

* Michael in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV''. A former bank robber who {{retired|Outlaw}} and went into WitnessProtection, he finds himself bored by civilian life and cannot come to terms with it, and therefore embellishes the financial troubles that his wife Amanda's spending causes him in order to more easily justify and excuse his wish to return to a life of crime.

* Cruella de Vil in ''Film/OneHundredAndTwoDalmatians''. Went to jail, got reformed, but an accident with the main puppy caused her to start seeing dalmatian spots all over town. Kind of a disturbing scene. In a perversion of Pavlov's Dog, the researchers responsible for Cruella's behavioral modification into the saintly Ella accidentally discovered that the sound of a bell reverses the process. Needless to say, the minute Ella hears a bell ringing, she's back to being the sociopathic Cruella. This in a city that is famous for a hugantic friggin bell by the nickname of Big Ben.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'': After the [[{{Jerkass}} Spiteful Brake Van]] torments Douglas by deliberately making his trains late, [[BigBrotherInstinct Donald]] confronts him on this. The Spiteful Brake Van promises to stop his ways, but he tries to do his same shtick ''again'' when Douglas is trying to assist James on his hill. Needless to say, the Spiteful Brake Van [[AssholeVictim ends up getting crushed by Douglas for his troubles]].

** Spike from the Franchise/{{Buffyverse}} flickers like a moral strobe light. Dark: the punk vampire based on Sid Vicious, his original form. Light: helps Buffy SaveTheWorld from Angelus because he likes it here and because he loves Drusilla. Dark: has Angel tortured for a {{phlebotinum}} ring. Light: has [[RestrainingBolt a chip in his brain]] that stops him hurting people, but helps Buffy because he can still attack other demons. Dark: drives a wedge between Buffy and her friends ([[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS4E20TheYokoFactor The Yoko Factor]]) and kidnaps a doctor to get the chip removed. Light: falls in love with Buffy and goes back to fighting on her side; cries when she dies. Dark: takes sexual advantage of the risen Buffy's depression; tries to rape her when she comes to her senses. Light: gets his soul back, fights on Buffy's side again. Dark: used as a sleeper agent by The First. Light: saves the world at the cost of his own life. Dark: becomes a ghost and tries to rob Angel of his prophesied redemption. Light: takes over Angel's former job of helping the helpless; ends up fighting with Angel in the last battle. I count 11 toggles of the good/evil switch.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'': After the Spiteful Brake Van torments Douglas by deliberately making his trains late, [[BigBrotherInstinct Donald]] confronts him on this. The Spiteful Brake Van promises to stop his ways, but he tries to do his same shtick ''again'' when Douglas is trying to assist James on his hill. Needless to say, the Spiteful Brake Van [[AssholeVictim ends up getting crushed by Douglas for his troubles]].

* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'': Smeagol really strived between his two selves about his conflicting desires and his relationship to Frodo. It is made clear, that Sméagol (as he was originally completely sane) killed his friend in order to take hold of the Ring (Gollum references Sméagol being a murderer in both films he/they are featured in.) The Gollum personality came later, during his decades of isolation. Really, he's an example of a person who instantly fell into the power of the Ring, but was otherwise a relatively decent sort of person. A person very susceptible to temptation. Smeagol ends up representing in his mind who he used to be and what he lost, while Gollum was what he became and the safety that he had in staying the same, rather than remembering or regretting.

** This compulsion goes all the way back to the 1960's Creator/AdamWest ''Series/{{Batman}}'' tv show. In one episode, Riddler's girlfriend asks him why he even bothers with riddles since Batman always figures them out. Riddler answers that the only reason he even ''became'' a criminal is so he could use riddles to stump Batman. Without riddles, he says, crime would be pointless.

* Dr. Doofenshmirtz of ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' has twice attempted to quit villainy. The first attempt involved becoming a cheese maker, but that went south when Perry the Platypus, in a moment of weakness, ate the world's tastiest cheese Doof prepared while the doc's back was turned. This led Doof to use his cheese-aging 'inator for evil in response. The second attempt was in 'Agent Doof'; There, Doof joined the OWCA, but became a HeroWithAnFInGood, and subsequently fired. This time, however, he's elated to hear Major Monogram state that Doof was more of a threat inside the organization than outside it and went back to villainy thinking he still had it. [[spoiler:He turns good for real in the SeriesFinale.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' episode "Princess Quasar Caterpillar and the Magic Bell", Ludo is trying to give up his evil ways, particularly the part where he tries to steal a magical artifact from a princess. It becomes an uphill battle when his well-meaning brother Dennis begins rebuilding his castle from Season 1 ''and'' hires some of Ludo's old minions to help.

[[RuleOfDrama However, something eventually goes wrong]]. Maybe they start having blackouts, and can't remember what they've been doing. Maybe they get visited by an old comrade who forces them back into crime. The voices in their head may resume their chorus. Or maybe they see their old nemesis and just ''have'' to test them, for old times sake...Ultimately, their returning obsessions become too much, and they can't resist them any more. They give in, and they eventually fall back into their self-destructive, villainous lifestyle.

Related to DickDastardlyStopsToCheat, ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder, and ShouldntYouStopStealing.

For villains who only pretend to reform and settle down, see FalselyReformedVillain.