History Main / ReformationAcknowledgement

'''Hawkgirl:''' Yes I do. But that's okay. I deserve some of it, I guess. \\

--> ''Lily had told me you are a changed man. Something I am inclined to agree with, but I suppose that is what growing up is about. I had been so worried for my daughter when she first told me about her plans with you. But you laid them to rest with your behaviour and demeanour over the holidays. You are not the boy you once were, and you are certainly not your father.''

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead2010'': In the GrandFinale, Maggie -- who has more reason to hate Negan than anyone, after he killed her husband back in Season 7 -- finally acknowledges that after [[EnemyMine having to work alongside him against the Commonwealth]] throughout Season 11, she can't hold onto her anger towards him anymore. She tells Negan that while she'll never forgive him, she won't actively hate him anymore, and acknowledges that he and his new wife Anne deserve to have a fresh start together as part of the survivor community without fear of retaliation from her.

->'''Angry Mob:''' TRAITOR! GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM!
->'''Green Lantern:''' BACK OFF! She doesn't have to take that from you people!
->'''Hawkgirl:''' Yes I do. But that's okay. I deserve some of it, I guess.
->'''Woman:''' (taking Hawkgirl's hand and motioning to her daughter) You saved our lives. God bless you, Chica Halcon.
->'''Green Lantern:''' You deserve that, too.
-->''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', "Wake The Dead"

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender:'' Zuko has joined the Gaang on probation, and the others understandably don't trust him much. But Aang really begins to open up to him as they practice firebending together.

* The former No.2, now the current No.1 hero Endeavor in ''Franchise/MyHeroAcademia'' may not have been a villain, but his behavior certainly qualified in forcing his wife into a marriage for the sake of producing a child powerful enough to surpass the former No.1 (leading to her getting pregnant four times), then putting his children that he saw promise in through '''serious''' abusive "training", all for the sake of his own dream to be better than All Might. It's only when the No.1 retires and Endeavor is thrust into the spot without actually believing he earned it that he's forced to change, and has a HeelRealization of all the damage he's done. Unfortunately, that includes being the cause of his wife's mental breakdown and his eldest son's death [[spoiler:or so he thought]], his daughter constantly having to play peacekeeper between him and his second son who utterly loathes his guts, and his third son who for the longest time, refused to even use the power he inherited from his father purely out of spite. When he rescues his second son from a villain's attack, Endeavor expresses that he never expects forgiveness from his family, but he will continue to try and atone for his past actions, never once disputing their hatred for him and even planning to have them all move into a different home from him, both to shelter them from further danger and remove them from the bad memories of their childhood with him. While son Natsuo still harbors anger towards him, he at least learns to be more civil, and son Shoto even opts to intern at his father's agency, to learn under his tutelage properly and as a way to bond genuinely.

* Freya from ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasDriftsInTheUniverse'' betrays the rest of the heroes, selling out Doraemon, Nobita, Lian and the rest of the Space Knights to Angolmois and the Independence Army due to believing [[WellIntentionedExtremist she's helping the Milky Way Drifting Fleet find a new home]], only to have a HeelRealization after Angolmois have everyone imprisoned, returning to help everyone escape. Her subsequent RedemptionPromotion have Lian telling everyone else, "I want you all to meet our latest friend", that friend being none other than Freya.
* ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'': Admiral Fukube was responsible for causing the Chulip to crash on Akito's colony, which he only learned well into their mission on Mars. Akito is outraged, and assualts him. When they're faced by an overwhelming force of Jovian forces, and the ship too damaged to fight back, the Admiral uses a UEF ship to force the Nadesico into an open Chulip, then puts his ship between the Nadesico and the Jovians, saying he hopes it makes up for his past mistakes. Akito angrily rejects it at the time. [[spoiler: Then it turns out many months later that the Admiral survived and was taken as a prisoner of war. Given how Akito reacts to his survival, it seems he'd learned to forgive him in the intervening time.]]

* ''Fanfic/ThePeaceNotPromised'': Lily's father Martin is initially opposed to her and Severus dating, knowing that Severus comes from an abusive household, and that he has called Lily by a racial slur once when he lost his temper (but not knowing that Severus is now [[PeggySue several decades older]] and has spent that time regretting his choices), and Severus acknowledges that he has cause. However, after observing Severus over the summer holidays, seeing his dedication to keeping his word, his sincere devotion to Lily, and his respect, Martin decides that he has indeed changed.

--> '''Batty:''' You know, Zach, the truth doesn't always win friends, but it certainly influences people. You're not half-bad, for a homonid.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', Dumbledore vouchs for Severus Snape, stating he reformed. Although at first some are very cautious about this claim and are later seemingly proved right, Dumbledore was ultimately [[TheMole proved right]] about Snape.

* ''Series/TheRifleman'': This shows up a few times, usually preceeded by a bout of ReformedButRejected. One particular standout example occurs when a new preacher and his son come to Northfork. At first Lucas [=McCain=] plans to be welcoming, but recognizes the man as a former gunfighter and troublemaker who'd used brutal tactics to run farmers and ranchers off their land and even burned a records office in order to steal land for resale before disappearing. The priest insists he's no longer that man, having undergone a spiritual change after being confronted by one of his victims, but [=McCain=] accuses him of only using his collar as a shield against his past. Sure enough a pair of bounty hunters arrive in Northfork to stir up trouble, citing the preacher's past to his new parishioners and even embellishing it to provoke the preacher back to violence so they could kill him. Pushed to the brink, the man begs Lucas for some guidance in what to do, as he doesn't want to let his son down, only to be rebuffed. Finally he decides to spare his son the shame of so disreputable a father and confronts the bounty hunters, ready to lose the gunfight and end their cruelty. Lucas intervenes at the last minute, deciding that the callous outlaw the priest had once been would never have been willing to confront death. In the end, [=McCain=] offers to help the priest rebuild his reputation with the town, accepting his reformation as genuine.

--> '''Aang:''' I don't care what everyone else says, Zuko. You're pretty smart.

** The situation repeats in "Darkstar Rising", when Magister Prior Ghihil forbids the trio from fighting aliens; of course, he is especially harsher to Kevin because of criminal record. He changes his opinion when they are kidnapped by Darkstar and Kevin shows his values helping to free Ghihil and neutralize the real villain.
* ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'': Dodgers, demonstrating his repentance at having ruined the peace talks and framing the Eager Young Space Cadet, is trying to pilot his ship out of a dive, telling the others to evaporate off the ship. He declares "I'll raise this crate or die trying." EYSC demonstrates that he believes Dodger's has truly repented by disobeying orders and helping him to pilot the spacecraft to safety, saving their headquarters in the process.
* ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'': The episode "The Defection". A formerly evil sorceress, Sibyline, repents of her betrayal, and convinces her deposed King that she would return him to the throne. Evil-Lynn spends much of the episode trying to convince others that Sibyline is still wicked, and Orko doesn't trust her at all. But Sibyline does prove herself, and even Orko acknowledges that she's changed for the better.
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'': In "Wake the Dead", Hawkgirl makes her return, after her actions in "Starcrossed" where she had betrayed the Justice League to the Thanagarian military, before turning on her own people in the end. Much of the world still weren't ready to forgive her, even as she stopped a rampaging Solomon Grundy. She even says she deserves the verbal abuse hurled her way. But then a grateful mother thanks her for saving her and her daughter from Grundy.

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* ''ComicBook/XMen'': Reeling from the affects of Carol Danvers personality in her head, Rogue leaves the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and joins the X-Men. Most of them threaten to quit if she's allowed in, but Xavier convinces them to stay. When Logan's fiance, Mariko, [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe treats her more kindly than her own team]], [[TakingTheBullet Rogue takes a blast meant for Mariko]]. This earns her Logan's respect and trust, and he offers to let her "borrow" his HealingFactor with her power. She refuses, pointing out that it could hurt him. This only further convinces him that she's sincere in her efforts to redeem, and he touches her, loaning her his power, anyway. It took a little longer for the rest of the X-Men to trust her, but she had a good and faithful friend in Wolverine from that day forward.

--> '''Angry Mob:''' TRAITOR! GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM!
--> '''Green Lantern:''' BACK OFF! She doesn't have to take that from you people!
--> '''Hawkgirl:''' Yes I do. But that's okay. I deserve some of it, I guess.
--> '''Woman:''' (taking Hawkgirl's hand and motioning to her daughter) You saved our lives. God bless you, Chica Halcon.
--> '''Green Lantern:''' You deserve that, too.
--> ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', "Wake The Dead"

-->- '''Angry Mob:''' TRAITOR! GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM!
-->- '''Green Lantern:''' BACK OFF! She doesn't have to take that from you people!
-->- '''Hawkgirl:''' Yes I do. But that's okay. I deserve some of it, I guess.
-->- '''Woman:''' (taking Hawkgirl's hand and motioning to her daughter) You saved our lives. God bless you, Chica Halcon.
-->- '''Green Lantern:''' You deserve that, too.
-->-- ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', "Wake The Dead"

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'': Hawkgirl makes her return, after her actions in "Starcrossed" where she had betrayed the Justice League to the Thanagarian military, before turning on her own people in the end. Much of the world still weren't ready to forgive her, even as she stopped a rampaging Solomon Grundy. She even says she deserves the verbal abuse hurled her way. But then a grateful mother thanks her for saving her and her daughter from Grundy.