History Main / SexFaceTurn

* In the ''ComicBook/{{Mystique}}'' series, Mystique slept with a seeming ally, Shepard Leighton, only to have him betray her to Mystique's foe, the Quiet Man [[spoiler: who was actually possessed by the mind of Shepard's dead sister]].

** Averted in ''Film/DieAnotherDay'', in which Miranda Frost has sex with Bond to distract him so that she can convince him she is still on his side and remove all the bullets from his gun.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' had the Face Turn precede the Sex part. In one episode, Riker is stuck on an alien world which has yet to achieve warp drive (but is very close). He ends up being hospitalized then held captive when they discover he's not the same species. One nurse offers to help him escape... if he'll sleep with her. Cut to her helping Riker escape.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Wildling girl Ygritte works out that Jon Snow is a FakeDefector, but hopes to turn him to their side via this trope. It sort of works, although Ygritte gets killed: Jon doesn't leave the Watch but he does become an advocate for them. To the point of being assassinated for his advocacy. Also, the only time he is ever shown lying is to save Mance Rayder and his remaining followers from execution by Stannis Baratheon. Though the FaceTurn isn't so much on the part of Jon as it is on the part of the other Watch members: notably Samwell Tarly. Jon already respected the wildlings, it was the other Watch members who treated them badly. Also, Ygritte misreads his awkwardness as meaning he's a virgin. Actually, it's because he has some hang-ups about sex due to being a bastard. [[spoiler: when they get to a nice warm spot, she starts to tease him with her catchphrase "you know nothing Jon Snow" while disrobing, only to be interrupted as he proves that this the one thing he ''does'' know about.]][[note]] weird bonus fact: the word "nothing" was an UnusualEuphemism for a woman's private parts in the 14th-16th Centuries (the period of real history some of the events in the books are based on), so Ygritte's catchphrase could be read as a DoubleEntendre. [[/note]]

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Wildling girl Ygritte works out that Jon Snow is a FakeDefector, but hopes to turn him to their side via this trope. Unfortunately Jon is an HonorBeforeReason type, so it doesn't end well.

* ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}'': In the midst of learning about Matt's nighttime activities, Foggy has a one-night stand with ex-girlfriend [[LovableAlphaBitch Marci Stahl]]. By the end of the season 1 finale, Foggy reminds Marci of what he said to her in her first episode that "she used to have a soul," and convinces her to help Nelson & Murdock dismantle Wilson Fisk's organization. Subsequently, Foggy and Marci's relationship rebuilds itself. They are both working at Hogarth, Chao & Benowitz by the end of season 2, they are back to full-time dating by the start of ''Series/{{TheDefenders|2017}}'', and by the start of ''Daredevil'' season 3, Marci is more or less the fourth member of the Avocados at Law.

* Used in ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'', making this OlderThanFeudalism. (Except in this case, it's less "Good vs. Evil" and more "Order vs. Chaos.") Enkidu starts off as a wild man, and then he has sex with Shamhat, a temple prostitute over the course of a week. By the end of the week, he is civilized. (It's not clear whether this was a ''direct'' result of the sex, or whether Shamhat used sex as a reward for appropriate behavior, thus "training" Enkidu.)

For a darker relative, see RapePortrayedAsRedemption. Related to SexIsGood.

* Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' fanfic ''Fanfic/TheVow'': after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Lord Shen]] forgives his former fiancée [[LoveMartyr Lady Lianne]] of the betrayal she never did thirty years earlier, they rekindle their love and [[spoiler:[[SexyDiscretionShot copulate]]]]. However, [[IveComeTooFar Shen stays true to his canon goals]], telling to the shocked Lianne that nothing else than their relationship has changed. [[spoiler:However, after he marries and subsequently [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy releases her]], he [[SparedByTheAdaptation cheats death]] and is forced to live as his wife's prisoner in anonymity but still with her and their son.]]

* ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds'': Betty is more of the AlphaBitch than an actual enemy, but she IS the Alpha Beta leader's girlfriend until Lewis Skolnick covertly has sex with her in the Moon Room during the Carnival.

May or may not be a part of a HighHeelFaceTurn and InLoveWithTheMark. Very common as a result of GoSeduceMyArchnemesis, markedly less so in a HoneyTrap. If the sex itself doesn't cause redemption, but she gets knocked up and that ''does'', it's DeliverUsFromEvil. Also see VillainessesWantHeroes which is basically the same except she doesn't succeed. If initiated by a female character, she is always a HeroicSeductress.

* Can be done in ''LiberalCrimeSquad'': high seduction can convert [[TheMenInBlack CIA agents]], and even the corporate CEO.

* Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' fanfic ''FanFic/TheVow'': after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Lord Shen]] forgives his former fiancée [[LoveMartyr Lady Lianne]] of the betrayal she never did thirty years earlier, they rekindle their love and [[spoiler:[[SexyDiscretionShot copulate]]]]. However, [[IveComeTooFar Shen stays true to his canon goals]], telling to the shocked Lianne that nothing else than their relationship has changed. [[spoiler:However, after he marries and subsequently [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy releases her]], he [[SparedByTheAdaptation cheats death]] and is forced to live as his wife's prisoner in anonymity but still with her and their son.]]

* Subverted in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure''. Polnareff gets the idea of making Jotaro seduce Midler into sparing them after the woman in question admits having a VillainousCrush. Unfortunately, while a ChickMagnet he may be, TheComicallySerious Jotaro is NotGoodWithPeople and even worse with romance.

* Satan becomes an angel again after being "purified" by Michael in ''Manga/MyBalls'', complete with ImmodestOrgasm and a PillarOfLight. It's that kind of series.

[[folder: Comicbooks ]]

* In the ''Mystique'' series, Mystique slept with a seeming ally, Shepard Leighton, only to have him betray her to Mystique's foe, the Quiet Man [[spoiler: who was actually possessed by the mind of Shepard's dead sister]].

[[folder: Fanfic ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* Averted with Loretta in ''Film/TheSting''. [[spoiler: She sleeps with Johnny Hooker because she's the hitman "Salino" who's been hired to kill him. Somewhat played with because the character the audience thinks is the hitman is actually a bodyguard hired by Gondorff for Johnny's protection. It doesn't hurt that up until the very last second, [[PlotTwist the audience thinks that the only person who would help Johnny has just been shot by the 'man' gunning for him.]]]]
* Played with in ''Film/NorthByNorthwest''. Eve clearly falls in love with protagonist Roger when she is ordered to seduce him by her boyfriend [[BigBad Vandamm]], but shows no sign of actually leaving Vandamm for him. [[spoiler:Then it turns out she's actually TheMole for the federal government and is staying with Vandamm so she can keep providing information for them, subverting the trope entirely.]]
* Lili Von Shtupp from ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' pulls this after being surprised and overjoyed at how [[BlackIsBiggerInBed big]] the black Sheriff Bart turns out to be. "''It's twue, it's twue!''" Had the [[MediaWatchdog censors]] and / or {{executive|Meddling}}s not objected, this was to have been played with for parody; Bart's next line after this was to have been to politely point out that Lili was, in fact, sucking on his elbow. ...which is very interesting, because as written it subverts and mocks the stereotype, but as played it reinforces it, making it more ''bigoted''---[[UnfortunateImplications showing where the executives' priorities were]].

* ''Film/UndercoverBrother''. [[spoiler:White She Devil]] and the title character.

* Meg from ''Disney/{{Hercules}}'', although as far as we can tell it wasn't actual sex that did it.
* Sorsha from ''Film/{{Willow}}'' with Madmartigan.
* Achilles in ''Film/{{Troy}}'' with Briseis. He gains a heart and purpose from there on.

* In ''Film/ThePinkPantherStrikesAgain'', the same effect is achieved not by the antagonistic woman actually seducing the hero, but by having her sleep with someone she ''thought'' was him when it was in fact another member of the same multi-national CarnivalOfKillers as her. This leaves the hero very confused when she suddenly appears naked in his bed professing her undying love for him.
* A major reason for Jake going native in ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' is the fact that he's boinking a [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe very hot alien chick]]. The Colonel even [[LampshadeHanging calls him]] [[WhatTheHellHero out on it]].
-->'''Quaritch''': "So, what, you find yourself some local tail... and then you completely forget what team you're on?"

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Happens to half the women Golan Trevize meets in Isaac Asimov's ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'' series, two examples being Hiroko in [[spoiler:Alpha Centauri]] and the transport minister in Comporellon.

* Used in ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'', making this OlderThanFeudalism. (Except in this case, it's less "Good vs. Evil" and more "Order vs. Chaos.") Enkidu starts off as a wild man, and then he has sex with Shamhat, a temple prostitute over the course of a week. By the end of the week, he is civilized. (It's not clear whether this was a ''direct'' result of the sex, or whether Shamhat used sex as a reward for appropriate behavior, thus "training" Enkidu.)

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* On ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'' however, everyone the Hercster slept with went from unpleasant or downright evil to virtuous and demure. His strength was apparently not his only divine ability.

* On ''Series/{{Buffy|the Vampire Slayer}}'', the opposite happened. Angel literally lost his soul and turned evil when he had sex with Buffy, because of a moment of true happiness. Granted, he was kinda cursed to that fate. Spike plays the trope straight-ish, though.
* On an episode of ''Series/{{Wings}}'', after Brian reports the improbable-but-true circumstances of his house burning down, a tough insurance inspector arrives to investigate him for fraud. She mercilessly builds her case against Brian, refusing to even consider his innocence... until she and Antonio have a wild passionate hook-up, and in the course of doing so accidentally start a fire that's comedically similar to the circumstances around Brian's house fire. The episode ends with the inspector unceremoniously dropping the case.
* ''Series/{{House}}'', the season 6 premiere. Kind of. He's still a sociopath afterward, but at least he's not a crazy sociopath.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' had the Face Turn precede the Sex part. In one episode, Riker is stuck on an alien world which has yet to achieve warp drive (but is very close). He ends up being hospitalized then held captive when they discover he's not the same species. One nurse offers to help him escape... if he'll sleep with her. Cut to her helping Riker escape.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Wildling girl Ygritte works out that Jon Snow is a FakeDefector, but hopes to turn him to their side via this trope. Unfortunately Jon is an HonorBeforeReason type, so it doesn't end well.

[[folder: Mythology ]]

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Can be done in ''LiberalCrimeSquad'': high seduction can convert [[TheMenInBlack CIA agents]], and even the corporate CEO.

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* All over the map with Dr. Elsa Schneider in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade''. Indy actually believed she was good when he slept with her, only later learning that she was really TheMole. She later tells Indy she's not a true believer in the Nazi ideology, and has several MyGodWhatHaveIDone moments after her betrayal.[[note]]The first is her pained reaction to the book burning in Berlin, the second when Kazim is killed[[/note]] She's also visibly upset when Donovan shoots Henry, before making a full HeelFaceTurn when she deliberately gives him the false Grail. Her greed ultimately leads to her death, but she honestly seems to believe that she and Indy can share the Grail.

* Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' fanfic ''FanFic/TheVow'': after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Lord Shen]] forgives his former fiancée [[LoveMartyr Lady Lianne]] of the betrayal she never did thirty years earlier, they reawaken their love and [[spoiler:[[SexyDiscretionShot sleep together]]]]. However, [[IveComeTooFar Shen stays true to his canon goals]], telling to the shocked Lianne that nothing else than their relationship has changed.

* ''Film/AustinPowers: The Spy Who Shagged Me''. Ivonna Humpalot and Austin Powers.

* Lili Von Shtupp from ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' pulls this after being surprised and overjoyed at how {{big|gerIsBetterInBed}} the black Sheriff Bart turns out to be. "''It's twue, it's twue!''" Had the [[MediaWatchdog censors]] and / or {{executive|Meddling}}s not objected, this was to have been played with for parody; Bart's next line after this was to have been to politely point out that Lili was, in fact, sucking on his elbow. ...which is very interesting, because as written it subverts and mocks the stereotype, but as played it reinforces it, making it more ''bigoted''---[[UnfortunateImplications showing where the executives' priorities were]].

* Lili Von Shtupp from ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' pulls this after being surprised and overjoyed at how {{big|gerIsBetterInBed}} the black Sheriff Bart turns out to be. "''It's twue, it's twue!''"
** Had the [[MediaWatchdog censors]] and / or {{executive|Meddling}}s not objected, this was to have been played with for parody; Bart's next line after this was to have been to politely point out that Lili was, in fact, sucking on his elbow.
*** ...which is very interesting, because as written it subverts and mocks the stereotype, but as played it reinforces it, making it more ''bigoted''---[[UnfortunateImplications showing where the executives' priorities were]].

* Averted in season 3 of ''Series/{{Heroes}}''. The viewers are led to believe this is going to happen when it looks like [[spoiler:Sylar]] is falling for Elle. (Admittedly, Elle isn�t exactly a shining paragon of White Morality, but any influence she can have at this point [[AxCrazy can�t help but be for the better]].) They end up on a beach alone at night, and just as Elle and the viewers think he�s going to tell her how she saved him and [[RedemptionEqualsSex they�re going to sleep together]]�[[spoiler:Sylar]] whispers that they�re both �damaged goods� and can never change[[spoiler:, and then he brutally murders her.]]

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* Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' fanfic ''FanFic/TheVow'': after [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 Lord Shen]] forgives his former fiancée [[LoveMartyr Lady Lianne]] of the betrayal she never did thirty years earlier, they reawaken their love and [[spoiler:[[SexyDiscretionShot sleep together]]]]. However, [[IveComeTooFar Shen stays true to his canon goals]], telling to the shocked Lianne that nothing else than their relationship has changed.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* In ''[[Literature/KushielsLegacy Kushiel's Dart]]'' two different characters [[spoiler: Quincel de Mortbahn and Eamonn of the Dalrida]] serve as major obstacles to Phèdre's quest [[spoiler: to journey to Alba and help Drustan regain his throne so he can bring aid to Ysandre]] and are persuaded to become more helpful with the promise of a night with Phèdre. In the sequel, ''Kushiel's Chosen'', we have Severio Stregazza, who's a complete {{Jerkass}} and generally unpleasant to everyone at court--again, until he becomes Phèdre's first patron, at which point he becomes a pleasant, kind, and helpful ally.
* Used in ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'', making this OlderThanFeudalism. (Except in this case, it's less "Good vs. Evil" and more "Order vs. Chaos.") Enkidu starts off as a wild man, and then he has sex with Shamhat, a temple prostitute over the course of a week. By the end of the week, he is civilized. (It's not clear whether this was a ''direct'' result of the sex, or whether Shamhat used sex as a reward for appropriate behavior, thus "training" Enkidu.)

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

* Averted in season 3 of ''Series/{{Heroes}}''. The viewers are led to believe this is going to happen when it looks like [[spoiler:Sylar]] is falling for Elle. (Admittedly, Elle isn’t exactly a shining paragon of White Morality, but any influence she can have at this point [[AxCrazy can’t help but be for the better]].) They end up on a beach alone at night, and just as Elle and the viewers think he’s going to tell her how she saved him and [[RedemptionEqualsSex they’re going to sleep together]]…[[spoiler:Sylar]] whispers that they’re both “damaged goods” and can never change[[spoiler:, and then he brutally murders her.]]

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[[AC: ProfessionalWrestling]]

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[[AC:WebOriginal]]

* Eve in ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', although technically [[spoiler: since she was a mole all along she never really loved her crime boss partner in the first place]].

** Averted in ''Film/DieAnotherDay'', in which Miranda Frost has sex with Bond to distract him so that she can convince him she is still on his side and remove all the bullets from his gun. [[FreudWasRight Symbolism much?]]