History Main / InUniverseCatharsis

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': When the Reds and Blues finally get to beat the tar out of [[spoiler:ManipulativeBastard Felix]], it is ridiculously satisfying, for them and the audience.

* Creator/AaronAllston's ''Literature/XWingSeries'' novels are full of this. Most notably, [[TheWoobie Myn Donos']] arc in ''Wraith Squadron'' contains at least two distinct and separate examples of this trope.

-->--'''The God-Emperor of Mankind''', ''WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice''

* ''Film/ThorRagnarok'': Thor and [[spoiler:Hulk are fighting in an arena]] with Loki looking on. During a quiet moment, Thor attempts [[spoiler:one of Black Widow's "lullaby"s on Hulk, only to get [[MetronomicManMashingyanked off his feet and smashed into the ground repeatedly]] in the exact same manner Loki was in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''.]] Loki's reaction?

* ''Film/ThorRagnarok'': Thor and [[spoiler:Hulk are fighting in an arena]] with Loki looking on. During a quiet moment, Thor attempts [[spoiler:one of Black Widow's "lullaby"s on Hulk, only to get [[MetronomicManMashingyanked off his feet and smashed into the ground repeatedly]] in the exact same manner Loki was in ''Film/{{The Avenges|2012}}.]] Loki's reaction?

* A number of ancient societies had some form of ceremony that was intended for this purpose. In AncientGreece, there were rituals to propitiate the gods and discharge the ritual pollution that had led to your problems -- such as insanity. If it failed, you needed to try another god; this was not the offended one. If it succeeded, you had achieved ''catharsis'' or cleansing.

* In ''FanFic/HopeOnADistantMountain'', Makoto goes back into the Hope's Peak Academy as seen in a sandbox version of the D-7 simulation, a virtual reality program designed to push students past their emotional limits to test their mettle via [[DeadlyGames Deadly Games]][=.=] He does this in order to better understand the events that happened to him, and their effects on his psyche, and fortunately, there are AIs there to explain things to him. [[spoiler: Or unfortunately, given they still want to help Makoto "grow".]]

* In ''Manga/{{Karin}}'', gloomy Fumio becomes an energetic optimist after being bitten by [[EmotionEater Karin]]. Everyone gets a boost from a bite from her or her brother but with Fumio it's the most noticeable.

* Defied in ''Film/AmericanPsycho''. The film closes with Bateman, in the middle of a MotiveRant to himself, realizes that even admitting he is a CardCarryingVillain to himself does not give him any catharis.

* Creator/AaronAllston's ''Literatute/XWingSeries'' novels are full of this. Most notably, [[TheWoobie Myn Donos']] arc in ''Wraith Squadron'' contains at least two distinct and separate examples of this trope.
* In ''[[Literature/KushielsLegacy Kushiel's Dart]]'', Phedre goes to the temple of Kushiel to atone for her role in the death of her master and the things she had to do when a captive of the Skaldi. Kushiel himself is said to be the patron of a very harsh mercy, attended by masked priests and priestesses who inflict painful rituals on those who come seeking atonement.
* In Creator/MichaelFlynn's Literature/SpiralArm novel ''Up Jim River'', Donovan is given a drug that a native culture uses for vision quests. When he recovers, he is not cured of his multiple personalities, but is definitely more integrated.

* Veronica once shot a pillow in her office (using a silencered gun) on ''Series/BetterOffTed''.

* In ''Series/TheFlash2014'', after Barry defeats Tony Woodward/Girder, [[SchoolyardBullyAllGrownUp his old tormentor back in school]], he locks him up in the particle accelerator and gives him a good TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. Once he's out of sight, Barry pumps his fists in thriumph.

** [[BreakTheCutie Jack]] is '''not''' what you would call a well adjusted individual, owing in no small part to the [[PlayingWithSyringes horrific experiments]] performed on her. Her LoyaltyMission has you guiding her through the abandoned facility where these experiments were performed and dealing with some of the remnants of her past, before setting a BigBulkyBomb in her old cell and [[DestroyTheAbusiveHome blowing the lab to smithereens]]. Afterwards, she becomes... well, slightly less AxCrazy. The achievement you get for completing the mission is even called "Catharsis."

* A number of ancient societies had some form of ceremony that was intended for this purpose. In AncientGreece, there were rituals to propiate the gods and discharge the ritual pollution that had led to your problems -- such as insanity. If it failed, you needed to try another god; this was not the offended one. If it succeeded, you had achieved ''catharsis'' or cleansing.

** [[BreakTheCutie Jack]] is '''not''' what you would call a well adjusted individual, owing in no small part to the [[PlayingWithSyringes horrific experiments]] performed on her. Her LoyaltyMission has you guiding her through the abandoned facility where these experiments were performed and dealing with some of the remnants of her past, before setting a BigBulkyBomb in her old cell and blowing the lab to smithereens. Afterwards, she becomes... well, slightly less AxCrazy. The achievement you get for completing the mission is even called "Catharsis."

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' Roy finds teammate Elan a real pain in the ass sometimes, so when he finds himself at odds with Elan's evil identical twin (yes), he relishes the chance to beat the tar out of someone who looks like Elan.

->''[[AC:Do you know what? Given the soul-crushing amount of arbitrary deaths decent people die for no reason [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 in this galaxy]], it is surprisingly refreshing to see it happen first hand to someone who absolutely deserves it.]]

->''[[AC:Do you know what? Given the soul-crushing amount of arbitrary deaths decent people die for no reason [[TabletopGames/Warhammer40000 in this galaxy]], it is surprisingly refreshing to see it happen first hand to someone who absolutely deserves it.]]

* In ''Literature/MirrorDance'', ex-{{Tykebomb}} Mark Vorkosigan starts the story a confused, self-sabotaging mess of a man. After being captured and tortured by [[ArcVillain Baron Ryoval]], his mind shatters -- with the result that his multiple personalities, finally aware of each other, can start working together, using PowerBornOfMadness to defeat Ryoval and rebuild his life.

* In ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' Gohan gets the chance to pummel his absent and neglectful father when a villain takes over his body.

* ''Film/TheHorseWhisperer'' ends up helping both the horse and owner this way.

* The Dark Truth on ''EliStone'' can be used for this. However, it's usually used for other things.

*** [[VideoGame/MassEffect2 The third game]] adds some more (again, depending on player choices). The quarians and the geth can finally end their war. Mordin has the opportunity to deal with the guilt he's felt due to his involvement with the krogan genophage. Miranda finally confronts her father and ensures he won't get his hands on her sister. Shepard gets satisfying vengeance on Kai Long, and at the end [[spoiler: willingly sacrifice his/her life knowing that doing so will end the war that's left them psychologically broken]].

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[BreakTheCutie Jack]] is '''not''' what you would call a well adjusted individual, owing in no small part to the [[PlayingWithSyringes horrific experiments]] performed on her. Her LoyaltyMission has you guiding her through the abandoned facility where these experiments were performed and dealing with some of the remnants of her past, before setting a BigBulkyBomb in her old cell and blowing the lab to smithereens. Afterwards, she becomes... well, slightly less AxCrazy. The achievement you get for completing the mission is even called "Catharsis."
** Also, after taking down the Shadow Broker and saving Feron, Liara is much more like the person she was in the first game.