History Main / ThrowTheDogABone

* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart2 Victor Fries]] surrenders after learning that his wife Nora has been cured of her terminal illness by the Quirk she developed in cryostasis. After spending fifteen years in Arkham as a model inmate, he leaves a free man and gets to reunite with his wife, starting Fries Financial, an incredibly successful conglomerate. He seems to be held in high esteem by the events of the story and his granddaughter Wiktoria is offended when another girl calls him a "sentimental old fool".

* ''ComicStrip/{{Mutts}}'': [[spoiler: In 2023, twenty-seven years after being depicted as a chained dog, Guard Dog is finally set "free" [[ItMakesSenseInContext after his owners move out and leave him behind, forcing Ozzie to unchain him in order to get him to the vet in time.]] Once there, he is adopted by Doozy and her family, renamed Sparky, and finally gets a chance to be inside the house.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' fanfic ''Fanfic/QueenOfAllOni'' (part of ''Fanfic/ProjectDarkJade''), [[VillainProtagonist Jade]] ends up hiring the Enforcers, and [[BenevolentBoss pays them regular wages (at one point, they mock the heroes by saying it's more than Section 13 pays them), and even when she fires them she gives them severance pay and all their belongings]]. When they realize that Jackie isn't there yet, they decide to flee the country and get away from magic and the chaos involving it that they keep getting mixed up with once and for all. [[spoiler: [[YankTheDogsChain And then they get arrested almost immediately afterwards.]]]]

* In [[Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed Equestria: A History Revealed]], after reaching an [[spoiler: emotional catharsis of sorts to get over her jealousy and grudge over Celestia]], the LemonyNarrator [[spoiler: finds her happiness, that being a couch, a good stock of Doritos, and her coltfriend, [[CrazyHomelessPerson Crazy Larry]] at her side.]] This is after countless failures in her life, like messing up on a relatively easy love potion, somehow catching syphilis, her countless academic failures, and general inability to find self-worth. Even though she [[JerkAss hadn't exactly]] been TheWoobie throughout the fic and many of her challenges seemed to be self-deserved, she [[spoiler: [[EarnYourHappyEnding found her own happy ending.]]]]
* The ''Literature/BridgeToTerabithia'' fandom, notably of the 2007 Disney film adaptation, has a special disdain for the movie-exclusive character Scott Hoager, who continues to bully Jess Aarons even ''after'' Leslie Burke's death. But in the LDD-fanfic, ''Fanfic/BridgeToTerabithia2TheLastTime'', the writer [=ElleFred=] took the effort to redeem Scott by including a chapter where Scott, now a teenager, and his sidekick-cum-fellow bully Gary Fulcher meets Jess and Leslie (retconned from her alleged "death") and actually spoke to each other directly for the first time in 6 years. Scott eventually apologized to Jess for being a bully and they actually became quite chummy, although Jess still doesn't consider Scott or Gary as friends, but more of acquaintances. But what really takes the cake is that in the DistantEpilogue, Scott ends up married to Jess' ex-girlfriend, the OC Sonia Taylors who is stated to have the body of a supermodel, as well as joining the military after graduation and becoming an Army Sergeant. Best of all? [[spoiler: Scott and Sonia ends up having a son who becomes best friends with Jess' and Leslie's daughter]].
* Throughout most of ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost,'' Twilight's [[HeroesWithBadPublicity disgraced loved ones]] are met with contempt and hatred from Jewelius, the citizens of Canterlot, and even Twilight herself. However, after escaping from Canterlot, they [[spoiler: eventually receive refuge from Mayor Mare and the rest of Ponyville. It's revealed shortly after that this was done in response to a collective [[KickTheDog dog-kicking]] by Jewelius, who spitefully wanted to punish the town [[HitlerAteSugar for being the home of the "traitorous" Mane Five]]]].

* In the {{Manga/Bleach}} story ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8987477/1/A-Black-Heart A Black Heart]]'' Ichigo lets [[LovableSexManiac Kon]] takeover his body to get laid while Ichigo takes care of some business.

* ''Fanfic/TheManyDatesOfDannyFenton'': [[spoiler: After so many bad dates, Tucker decides to actually create an honest dating profile, and has a nice date with Velma Dinkley from ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'']].

* ''Fanfic/GazDreamsOfGenie'': While it's not a major focus of the plot, Dib finally gets a relieve from [[TheChewToy all the crap he went through in canon]] when [[spoiler: [[BecomingTheGenie Azie switches lives with Gaz]], and as a result his memories of his mean sister are poofed out of existence and he gets to grow up with a nice sister instead who loves him.]]

--> '''Vegeta:''' How's the hole in your chest?
--> '''Yamcha:''' Just fine. How's your ''spine''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', Superman often finds Green Lantern obnoxious, but in ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'', he treats him like a friend during their time in the Systar System, which is [[spoiler:initially assumed to be caused by brainwashing, but it turns out to be genuine. However, [[YankTheDogsChain it doesn't last when Armamageddon begins]]]].

* In ''Film/GhostbustersII'', poor Louis (the ButtMonkey from the first film) gets accolades from the crowd when [[spoiler: it seems like he's the one that chased off the movie's main villain]]. He also finds love with [[spoiler: Janine Melnitz]], of all people.
* Milton from ''Film/OfficeSpace'' finally gets his in the end [[spoiler: when he burns down the Ini-Tech building and makes off with the money]] -- and he gets his [[TheRedStapler Swingline Stapler]] back!

** Lyra and Bonbon are victims of constant physical abuse, without doing anything to deserve it, what so ever. But in [[spoiler: Toucan LDM meets My Little Pony, they manage to lore ''the very creator of the show'' to Ponyville, and [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown get to have a little well deserved payback.]]]]

** After being beat up in early episodes, Spike actually gets to be a hero in both [[WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]] meets where he aids Rarity in saving the titular character and ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' meets, where in his "monster form" he fights '''Godzilla to a draw''' and is celebrated by Ponyville, after [[spoiler: convincing the Kaiju to go peacefully.]]

** [[spoiler: However it's recently been revealed that after she left all her friends bar the old martial artist have been kidnapped and locked up by hereti corp, the source of all her problems]].
* In ''Webcomic/AnsemRetort'', Riku spends the whole strip being TheChewToy to a degree that makes you feel the EmoTeen qualities are [[JustifiedTrope justified.]] Then Yuffie comes along. There are exactly two official couples (Zexion/anything female does not count) and he's now one of them. Enjoy your bone, doggie. [[spoiler: She eventually dumps him. For his own FutureBadass self.]]

** Much later right before the end of the comic. Dead!Tavros has [[spoiler: recruited a literal ''army'' of [[AllianceOfAlternates ghosts]] for the FinalBattle against [[BigBad Lord English]]]]. Vriska is astonished that Tavros has done something not only right but actually pretty awesome, which prompts Tavros to go into a "Suck It, Serket" dance for several strips. It only ends when Vriska agrees to acknowledge Tavros' achievement on the condition that he ''stop dancing''.

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* On April 14, 2022, Blue Sky Studios released [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb87kRJ_7-g an animation]] to commemorate the ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' franchise move from the studio to Disney. The animation was about Scrat not only finding an acorn and not losing it, but also allowed to eat it in peace.

* ''Fanfic/FluffyPony'' is based around cute little fluffies ponies suffering. When a story or picture comes along with ''any'' fluffies being happy without any drawbacks, it's like throwing a bone to the whole species.

* ThrowTheDogABone/WebOriginal

[[folder:Real Life]]
* [[http://www.inquisitr.com/342012/victim-of-school-prank-becomes-homecoming-princess-town-rallies-to-fight-bullying/ Whitney Kropp, a bullying victim at Ogemaw Heights High School,]] was nominated for homecoming queen by her tormentors as a Literature/{{Carrie}}-inspired prank. The prank [[NiceJobFixingItVillain backfired]] and it got the town to ''support'' Whitney and Whitney ended up ''winning'' the crown for Homecoming queen.
* The ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'' has been helpful to actors and characters.
** While Creator/HenryCavill did have some lead roles in shows and movies, he was also [[ButtMonkey infamous]] for getting snubbed on getting major roles from various studios in favor of other actors, most notably by Creator/RobertPattinson for the role of Cedric Diggory in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' movie series and Superman for the movie that became ''Film/SupermanReturns''. That all changed when Zack Snyder gave him a second chance at playing the latter in the ContinuityReboot film ''Film/ManOfSteel''.
** Wonder Woman ''finally'' getting to appear in a live-action film after years of the movie project going nowhere - especially considering that Warner Bros. executives were on the fence about letting her have a movie, leading to the now-infamous Tweet from Brett White about how DC didn't want to do Wonder Woman because it was too confusing, while Marvel was working on ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'', which has a raccoon using machine guns. Taken even further once it was confirmed that she would be getting a standalone film before Marvel could release [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 a female-led movie.]] And ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' became the most acclaimed of the DCEU flicks and a massive box office hit.
*** This is also the case for her actress Creator/GalGadot, who had a decently successful modeling career but was having trouble finding roles in Hollywood, with her only role of note up to that point being Gisele Yashar in the ''The Fast and Furious'' franchise. She was even thinking of quitting acting altogether before getting cast as Wonder Woman.
** The story goes that Creator/BenAffleck was vying to be Batman during the period between ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and ''Film/BatmanBegins'', but because of the DevelopmentHell he took on ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'' as the closest thing. His career tanking from ''Film/{{Gigli}}'' didn't help, either. Even after rebuilding his career by being both actor and director, he admitted to being surprised when he was approached to be Batman because he was getting older and couldn't play a 20-something or 30-something Batman, and was delighted to learn they were going in the ''[[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns Dark Knight Returns]]'' direction for ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice''. Unfortunately, after the notoriously TroubledProduction going on for the [[Film/JusticeLeague2017 theatrical cut]] of ''Justice League'', it went south because Affleck ended up going back to rehab, and had to give up the cape and cowl as well the director's chair for ''The Batman''.
* Creator/MichaelBell, who voiced Prowl and Swoop among others, in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'', expressed interest in returning to the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' franchise for years, auditioning to reprise the roles of Prowl and Swoop for ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', and for Ratchet and William Fowler for ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', but these never panned out (''Animated''!Prowl went to Creator/JeffBennett, Animated!Swoop was TheSpeechless, and ''Prime''!Ratchet and Fowler were voiced by Creator/JeffreyCombs and Creator/ErnieHudson respectively). This was until he was cast as High Tide in ''Prime''[='=]s sister series ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBots''. Along with Creator/PeterCullen, Creator/FrankWelker, Creator/GreggBerger, and Dan Gilvezan, he also returned for ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'', reprising the roles of Sideswipe and Scrapper.
* Creator/ScottCawthon was a troubled game developer who could never quite be a success. His then-most well known game, ''Chipper and Sons Lumber Co.'', was slammed and mocked for its unintentionally creepy character designs, devastating Scott and prompting him to make one last game before finding a new career. That game was ''Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', and [[CareerResurrection his life was never quite the same afterwards]].
* Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio was, for the longest time, victim to a [[MemeticMutation legendary]] AwardSnub, having never won an Oscar despite many well-received roles. Come the 2016 Academy Awards, however, and the unthinkable occured - ''Film/TheRevenant'' finally earned the Oscar his fans feel he deserved.
* If Leo only scoring an Oscar in his sixth attempt was deemed painful, imagine how it went for both acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins (only in his fifteenth, ''Film/BladeRunner2049''), composer & songwriter Music/RandyNewman (winning Best Song for ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'', his sixteenth attempt, after losing his fifteenth for the same film's Score) and sound mixer Kevin O'Connell (his ''twenty-first'', ''Film/HacksawRidge'').
* Creator/{{Nintendo}} never seemed to know what to do with ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' since its release; it was a western-developed game, meaning the Japanese company didn't have much attachment to it personally, and it was a PsychologicalHorror story, a far cry from their usual family-friendly output, leaving them to eternally renew the trademark with no follow-up. In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', all it got was a cursory mention in ''Brawl'''s Chronicle; no stickers or trophies in ''any'' of the games... until ''Ulimate'', which finally gave ''Eternal Darkness'' a nod with Alex Roivas as a Spirit to rescue.
* When ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' was being developed, plenty of ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' fans were hoping for [[WolfMan Jon Talbain]] to be a playable character after not being playable for any of them. While that unfortunately never happened, Ryoma Niitsuma, the developer of the game and it's [[UpdatedRerelease update, ''Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3'']], did say that [[WhatCouldHaveBeen had there been more development time]], [[http://iplaywinner.com/news/2010/10/23/niitsuma-disconfirms-characters-for-mvc3-but-gives-some-hope.html Jon would have been his pick for the series' fourth rep]]. At the very least, his fans were given some compensation with [[VideoGame/{{Okami}} Amaterasu]] getting an [[https://i2.wp.com/shoryuken.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ammy.jpg alternate DLC costume that has her strongly resembling Talbain in Ultimate]].
* In a rare example of a son of a bitch being thrown a bone, Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, after years of posthumous abuse, including being hung upside down and uncertainty about the disposal of his remains, was ultimately buried in a crypt in his hometown of Predannio—the only posthumous honor to ever be accorded to the dictator who inspired Hitler's twelve-year reign of terror over Germany.
* Music/DadiFreyr's band Gagnamagnið were selected to represent Iceland at the 2020 Series/EurovisionSongContest. Their song quickly became a viral hit online, and was widely considered to be the frontrunner to win, but the contest was cancelled for the year due to safety concerns surrounding the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. The band were reselected for the 2021 contest with a new song... but then one member of the band tested positive for the virus before their Semi-Final. The band chose [[TrueCompanions not to perform without him]] so rehearsal footage was used in lieu of a live performance. Daði was eventually invited to perform in the interval act for the 2023 Contest, as part of the "United by Music" theme, ''finally'' giving him a chance to perform live on the Eurovision stage.

* ThrowTheDogABone/{{Webcomics}}

* Creator/{{Nintendo}} never seemed to know what to do with ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'' since its release; it was a western-developed game, meaning the Japanese company didn't have much attachment to it personally, and it was a PsychologicalHorror story, a far cry from their usual family-friendly output, leaving them to [[JustForPun eternally]] renew the trademark with no follow-up. In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', all it got was a cursory mention in ''Brawl'''s Chronicle; no stickers or trophies in ''any'' of the games... until ''Ulimate'', which finally gave ''Eternal Darkness'' a nod with Alex Roivas as a Spirit to rescue.

* [[ThrowTheDogABone/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]

* A ''ComicStrip/{{Blondie}}'' comic showed '''everything''' going right for Dagwood, like the inversion of a HumiliationConga: Mr. Dithers praised him and gave him a raise for some particularly skilled work, Blondie prepared his favorite meal and then smilingly waved him off to poker night, where he can't seem to get a bad hand.... The final panel shows Blondie, sitting up in bed, smiling out at the reader (and looking '''hot''' in her nightie) and saying something to the effect that "[[BreakingTheFourthWall after X years in this comic strip]], he deserves a day like this!"

* The sheer fact that, after '''''108 years''''', the [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams Chicago Cubs]] ''finally'' won the World Series in 2016.

* If Leo only scoring an Oscar in his sixth attempt was deemed painful, imagine how it went for both acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins (only in his fourteenth, ''Film/BladeRunner2049'') and sound mixer Kevin O'Connell (his ''twentieth'', ''Film/HacksawRidge'').

* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'': One Sunday strip has [[BookDumb Calvin]] ''finally'' getting an 'A'.

* ''Fanfic/GodSlayingBladeWorks'' has several omakes where Kariya Matou, one of the biggest {{Butt Monkey}}s of ''LightNovel/FateZero'', gets to earn his happy ending, and one where the 4th Holy Grail War's Lancer gets to die a heroic death just like he wanted instead of getting betrayed and killed like a dog.

* In a rare example of a [[KickTheSonOfABitch son of a bitch]] being thrown a bone, Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, after years of posthumous abuse, including being hung upside down and uncertainty about the disposal of his remains, was ultimately buried in a crypt in his hometown of Predannio—the only posthumous honor to ever be accorded to the dictator who inspired Hitler's twelve-year reign of terror over Germany.

* Throughout most of ''[[Fanfic/LovedAndLost]],'' Twilight's [[HeoresWithBadPublicity disgraced loved ones]] are met with contempt and hatred from Jewelius, the citizens of Canterlot, and even Twilight herself. However, after escaping from Canterlot, they [[spoiler: eventually receive refuge from Mayor Mare and the rest of Ponyville. It's revealed shortly after that this was done in response to a collective [[KickTheDog dog-kicking]] by Jewelius, who spitefully wanted to punish the town [[HitlerAteSugar for being the home of the "traitorous" Mane Five]]]].

** Even better, he gets it in full view of a little girl in a blue dress and carrying a football (possibly Lucy van Pelt).

* In [[FanFic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed Equestria: A History Revealed]], after reaching an [[spoiler: emotional catharsis of sorts to get over her jealousy and grudge over Celestia]], the LemonyNarrator [[spoiler: finds her happiness, that being a couch, a good stock of Doritos, and her coltfriend, [[CrazyHomelessPerson Crazy Larry]] at her side.]] This is after countless failures in her life, like messing up on a relatively easy love potion, somehow catching syphilis, her countless academic failures, and general inability to find self-worth. Even though she [[JerkAss hadn't exactly]] been TheWoobie throughout the fic and many of her challenges seemed to be self-deserved, she [[spoiler: [[EarnYourHappyEnding found her own happy ending.]]]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' fanfiction ''FanFic/{{Harmless}}'', [[IJustWantToHaveFriends Klemper]] now has the ghost dog, Cujo. At last, the lonely ghost has some friends.

* ''Fanfic/TheManyDatesOfDannyFenton'' (''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', WesternAnimation, [[{{Series}} TV Series]], and ComicBooks.): [[spoiler: After so many bad dates, Tucker decides to actually create an honest dating profile, and has a nice date with Velma Dinkley from ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'']].

** Wonder Woman ''finally'' getting to appear in a live-action film after years of the movie project going nowhere - especially considering that Warner Bros. executives were on the fence about letting her have a movie, leading to the now-infamous Tweet from Brett White about how DC didn't want to do Wonder Woman because it was too confusing, while Marvel was working on ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', which has a raccoon using machine guns. Taken even further once it was confirmed that she would be getting a standalone film before Marvel could release [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 a female-led movie.]] And ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' became the most acclaimed of the DCEU flicks and a massive box office hit.

* On April 14, 2022, Blue Sky Studios released an animation to commemorate the ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' franchise move from the studio to Disney. The animation was about Scrat not only finding an acorn and not losing it, but also allowed to eat it in peace.

Yes, it seems that fate/God/the writers finally decided to Throw the Dog a Bone. It can be them ultimately coming out ahead, or just having a break for once, but it's generally very satisfying to whoever it happens to and [[TheWoobie any fans that had felt sorry for him]].

** Luna is finally accepted by Ponyville, at the end of "Utter Lunacy". Though zigzagged, as she doesn't knowo how exactly that happened and the episode ends on her being utterly confused and storming off in frustration.

* Features in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' film ''Recap/FuturamaM1BendersBigScore Bender's Big Score''; Fry's dog Seymour, originally depicted as spending twelve years waiting for Fry after he was frozen when Fry never knew about it, [[spoiler:now spends those twelve years living with Fry's time-paradox duplicate]].