Line #3 Main/ExBigBad


1	->'''Razputin:''' Do you ''promise'' this isn't another plan to take over the world?\
2	'''Oleander:''' Razputin, that was the ''old'' me.\
3	'''Razputin:''' Yeah, like [[ReformedButNotTamed three days old]].
4	-->-- ''VideoGame/Psychonauts2''
5
6	It's a simple setup. The heroes on the one side, and the villains on the other. The story consists of their back and forth until the primary evil, the driving force behind the villainy in the story, the BigBad, is foiled. That's a wrap, call it quits, everybody can go home. But what happens after that?
7
8	What happens in stories where the heroes continue to have adventure after dealing with their original BigBad? Sure, the easy answer is that they'll have to deal with a ''new'' BigBad, but what about the old one? After all, the BigBad doesn't die in ''every'' story. Some of them lead lives in other sectors of the world.
9
10	This trope is for the figures in a work who once held the title of BigBad, but no more. Maybe it's a case of HowTheMightyHaveFallen, and they're struggling to claw their way back to the top; maybe this was the work of the TheManBehindTheMan. Maybe they've decided to become a RetiredMonster, and leave all the hard work to the next generation. Maybe they've only been DemotedToDragon. Maybe they've undergone a HeelFaceTurn, [[DefeatMeansFriendship joined the heroes]] as their TokenEvilTeammate, or even become TheAtoner.
11
12	...Or maybe they just want you to ''think'' that, and some poor sap is about to have their plan HijackedByGanon. Or they only claim to have turned a new leaf, [[FalselyReformedVillain only for it to turn out to be a lie]].
13
14	''Nota Bene'': In order to keep this trope from decaying into "{{Big Bad}}s Who Lose But Don't Die", the Ex Big Bad must be shown or at least referred to as being no longer a BigBad during a future point of an ongoing series. Villains who lose the status at the end of a story don't count, but if they appear in a sequel or a later season, they do.
15
16	'''Warning: This is usually a major plot point, so most if not all of these examples are unmarked spoilers.'''
17	----
18	!!Examples
19
20	[[foldercontrol]]
21
22	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
23	* ''Manga/BlackClover'': As the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun, "Licht" (Patry) is the main villain of the first saga, leading the Third Eye and his other underlings to obtain all the magic stones and reincarnating the elves into humans' bodies to resurrect his tribe and get revenge on the Clover Kingdom. However, Zagred reveals himself to be the mastermind behind the elf massacre Reincarnation Magic, leading him to work with the Magic Knights to stop the devil. Afterwards, he plans to atone for his misdeeds.
24	* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'': As the Digimon Kaiser, Ken is the main villain of the series from episodes 01-20. He suffers a VillainousBreakdown after Wormmon's HeroicSacrifice and eventually starts working to undo the damage he causes to the Digital World following Wormmon's return. It takes a while for the team to accept his change but he is eventually welcomed as a friend and teammate.
25	* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
26	** Piccolo is the final BigBad of the first part of the ''Manga/DragonBall'' and the original anime which adapts it , but in the second part of the manga and its adaptation ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', he reforms under Son Goku's and Son Gohan's influence and joins the good guys full-time, fighting a slew of new Big Bads alongside them.
27	** In ''Z'', Vegeta was the BigBad of Saiyan Arc, bent on seeking Immortality and stuff like that. After he is defeated, he begrudgingly and gradually joins the Z fighters against other forces stronger than him, and settles down with Bulma.
28	** Freeza, who serves as the BigBad of the Namek Saga as well as the "[[Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF Resurrection F]]" arc in ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', and is subsequently brought back again much later to serve as a TokenEvilTeammate for the crew during the Tournament of Power arc.
29	* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'', Hayate is the "BigBad" for most of the story (even if the FinalBoss is the embodied [[ArtifactOfDoom Book of Darkness]] that Hayate used). After our heroes helped to deal with the whole problem, Hayate then got to get proper treatment for her illness, and some years later in ''[=StrikerS=]'', she becomes the BigGood.
30	* ''Anime/MegaManNTWarrior'': Dr. Wily is, of course, the original BigBad of the show, but after ultimately falling from grace, he spends the duration of ''Stream'' and ''Beast'' as a hobo on the streets, his ambition mostly depleted.
31	* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'': Nobliss Gordon was a player in the BigBadEnsemble of season 1 with his plan to assassinate Kudelia and use her death to ignite a conflict he can profit off of, but by season 2 he's given up on this plan since he already got most of what he wanted and seemingly content to allow Kudelia to live, even investing in her new company.
32	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': [[MadScientist Orochimaru]] was the BigBad of Part I. In Part II where the stakes are higher, he is reduced to a recurring villain who gets killed off by Sasuke partway through, and gets replaced by much more powerful and intimidating villains that have more effect on the plot than even he does. By the time of ''Manga/{{Boruto}}'', he's mellowed out considerably -- though he still performs morally-dubious experiments.
33	* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Because Luffy tends to leave the {{Big Bad}}s of each arc alive but severely beaten, all arc Big Bads in the series are this. Some of them are given a side story to show what they do with their lives after their defeat (Buggy, Wapol, Enel Lucci and the [=CP9=]), while some others are imprisoned and punished (Buggy, again, and Crocodile -through they escape just in time for the {{War Arc}}-, Hody, Doflamingo) or at least implied to be as such (Arlong), and yet others are unknown.
34	* Mewtwo from ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' is introduced as the BigBad of ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'' (and its CGI remake ''Anime/MewtwoStrikesBackEvolution''), where it plots world domination to get revenge on mankind after being abused by Team Rocket's leader Giovanni, who ordered its creation by scientists in the first place, but eventually performs a HeelFaceTurn, and relocates to Johto in ''Anime/PokemonMewtwoReturns'', where Ash and friends encounter it again and try to defend it from Giovanni and the rest of Team Rocket, who are still going after it. Mewtwo then appears again in ''Anime/PokemonJourneystheSeries'', where Ash and Goh battle it, only to be defeated, and Mewtwo reveals itself to be the caretaker of various Pokemon rescued from abusive trainers.
35	* ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' has Phoenix Ikki as the main antagonist of the first story arc. After his defeat, he eventually ends becoming part of the FiveManBand group of heroes.
36	* ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'': Akihiko Kayaba was the BigBad of the first arc, but after his initial goals of seeing SAO to the end were complete, he performs a BrainUploading and remains around for the rest of the series as a VirtualGhost, becoming a FriendlyEnemy to Kirito and often assisting him when he's in a tight spot.
37	* Lordgenome of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' is the BigBad pre-timeskip, but after he's defeated, he becomes our heroes' ally post-timeskip, helping them fight against the Anti-Spirals (who were the ones that forced him to keep humanity underground in the first place to protect them).
38	* Hiei of ''Anime/YuYuHakusho'', who was the BigBad for the first real story arc in the series and later becomes a main character.
39	* ''Manga/YuGiOh'' has Seto Kaiba, who serves as the BigBad for the Death-T arc, and is brought back in both the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City arcs to serve as TheRival and an occasional ally to Yugi while he faces off against new Big Bads. Subverted with Yami Bakura, as he plays the role in the Monster World arc and then takes a backseat into a minor antagonistic role during the two previously mentioned arcs, but returns with a vengeance as the BigBad for the final arc of the series.
40	** Pegasus was the Big Bad of the Duelist Kingdom arc, and after his defeats at the end of it, he gives up on villainy and continues to make minor appearances, occasionally offering aid or advice to the heroes. Notably though this only apples to his anime counterpart, in the manga [[spoiler:he is murdered by Yami Bakura after having his Millennium Eye ripped out following his defeat by Yugi's hands.]]
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
44	* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': Adu Du is the BigBad of the first season and remains the primary antagonist for most of the second season before Ejo Jo comes and pulls an EvilerThanThou, forcing Adu Du to team up with [=BoBoiBoy=] to defeat Ejo Jo. Adu Du then becomes good for a while before taking the BigBad spot again for a story arc. Afterwards, he becomes a more neutral character who can ally or fight [=BoBoiBoy=] depending on the situation.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Comic Books]]
48	* In the post-TV show ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' comics, [[spoiler:genocidal megalomaniac [[Characters/AvatarTheLastAirbenderFireLordOzai ex-Fire Lord Ozai]] is imprisoned but still trying to manipulate and corrupt his son and successor Zuko.]]
49	* Warren Mears, the Big Bad of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' Season Six, is resurrected in the post-show comics to become a SmugSnake minor recurring villain. (Though he was lucky to have even temporarily [[NotSoHarmlessVillain achieved the status of a]] Big Bad).
50	* In ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'', the Adversary, [[spoiler:Geppetto]], BigBad of the first half of the comic, is allowed to join the community as a RetiredMonster after his fall, but is never trusted and never truly reforms.
51	* Negan of ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead'' serves as the BigBad of the "All-Out War" arc, but survives it to be deposed as leader of the Saviors and become a TokenEvilTeammate to the heroes by the time of the Whisperer War arc.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
55	* [[Characters/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsSunsetShimmer Sunset Shimmer]] was [[HerosEvilPredecessor Twilight's predecessor]] and the BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1''. In its sequel, ''Rainbow Rocks'', she transitioned to [[TheAtoner an atoning]] {{Deuteragonist}} and became their last minute [[TheHero Hero]]. By ''Friendship Games'', she has become TheLeader of the Equestria Girls and more or less the HeroProtagonist of the spin-off series.
56	* [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory1 Sid Phillips]] as the garbageman in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3''.
57	* [[GreenAndMean Chick Hicks]] is revealed to have become a sports commentator and talk show host during the events of ''WesternAnimation/Cars3''.
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
61	* Captain Barbossa, the BigBad of the [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl first]] ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' movie and Captain Jack Sparrow's ArchNemesis, becomes an AntiHero and Jack's (still selfish and treacherous) ally in the sequels.
62	* The ''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'' has a bald man in a wheelchair ([[LawyerFriendlyCameo who most certainly isn't Blofeld]]) appear as the movie's StarterVillain in TheTeaser, where he tries one last time get revenge on Bond after he thwarted his plans in multiple previous films.
63	* In the live-action ''Film/{{Transformers\|FilmSeries}}'' movies, Megatron is the sole BigBad in ''Film/Transformers2007'', but is later DemotedToDragon in ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' and usurped by [[spoiler:Sentinel Prime]] in ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'', where he is a broken-down shadow of his former self after suffering major injuries at the climax of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' and a major verbal beatdown in ''Dark of the Moon''. Once resurrected in ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'', he's only a minor part of the BigBadEnsemble, and ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' has him as part of a BigBadDuumvirate.
64	* In ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'', Scarecrow, who was one of the BigBadDuumvirate of ''Film/BatmanBegins'', turns up as the bad guy in the BatmanColdOpen of ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' and again presiding over Bane's KangarooCourt in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''.
65	* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': Loki is the BigBad in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}'', but after his defeat by the Avengers turns into a reluctant NominalHero and a TokenEvilTeammate to Thor and Jane in ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', and then a LovableRogue who initially minds his own business [[spoiler:but in the end arrives with TheCavalry to save the day]] in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''. Finally, in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar,'' [[spoiler:he [[RedemptionEqualsDeath is brutally killed]] by the film's BigBad, Thanos after attacking him.]]
66	* ''Film/TheMatrixResurrections'': In the original ''Matrix'' films, ex-Agent Smith ended up as the Big Bad, trying to consume the entire Matrix to infinitely replicate himself. In ''Resurrections'', he's seemingly been cured of his megalomania and is serving [[DemiurgeArchetype the Analyst]] by helping to keep an eye on Neo while having fun by tormenting him in petty ways. But in the end, when he's faced with the choice between seeing Neo defeated again and survival, he [[EnemyMine does the sensible thing]].
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Literature]]
70	* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' book ''Literature/TheLastHero'', Cohen and his crew of octogenarian barbarians team up with "Evil Harry Dread", a former EvilOverlord with the vibe of a clapped-out old rock star, against whom they waged [[GreatOffscreenWar epic campaigns]] in their younger days. They reminisce about old times with a kind of camaraderie.
71	* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Downplayed. While the books are about Harry's clash with Voldemort, hanging in the backstory is Dumbledore's clash with Gellert Grindelwald, which figures prominently in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows.'' Only the "prequel" movies based on ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' feature Grindelwald as the villain.
72	* Downplayed in ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'': [[spoiler:Luke Castellan]] was the reveal Big Bad of the first book, but by the last book he was DemotedToDragon. In the fifth book he changes sides to the heroes [[spoiler:on his deathbed]].
73	* ''Literature/ZonesOfThought''
74	** This trope is downplayed in ''A Fire Upon the Deep''. EmperorScientist and EvilutionaryBiologist Flenser is noted to have previously been in charge of the Flenserists (a faction which was, of course, named after him), but for all intents and purposes, his defeat prior to the events of the book have made him a (literal) fragment of himself, and Steel runs the show. At the end of ''Fire'', Flenser undergoes a HeelFaceTurn and becomes genuinely invaluable to the protagonists in the sequel, taking the trope even further.
75	** In ''The Children of the Sky'', the pack Screwfloss is revealed late in the story to actually be the remains of Lord Steel, disguised and rearranged with a new member or two. He's still not the nicest fellow, but he seems to have undergone a HeelFaceTurn since escaping from the Fragmentarium, a sanctuary for fragmented packs.
76	* In the ''[[Literature/TheGirlWhoCircumnavigatedFairylandInAShipOfHerOwnMaking Fairyland]]'' series by Catherynne M Valente, the Marquess, the BigBad of the first novel, makes several appearances in later novels, and is eventually redeemed in the final one.
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78
79	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
80	* Subverted with Charles Logan in the long run of ''Series/TwentyFour''. After serving as the Big Bad in the fifth season, he seems to seriously regret his actions during Season Six and ends up as TheAtoner aiding Jack, but ends up on the receiving end of a (non-lethal) HeelFaceDoorSlam instead. This ends up having a nasty end result, as in the eighth season he ends up returning and [[HijackedByGanon retaking his position]] as Big Bad.
81	* [[Characters/ArrowverseMalcolmMerlyn Malcolm Merlyn]] in ''Series/{{Arrow}}''. While he was the BigBad of the first season, he remains around after his initial defeat. In the second season, he only has a handful of appearances, and in the third, he instigates the conflict with Ra's, but is soon forced to ally with Oliver over his fear of the man. He develops back to a full-time villain by season 4's end, but doesn't regain his footing as Big Bad, having to ally with Team Arrow in the finale again (on Arrow, anyway; he's part of the BigBadDuumvirate in Season 2 of ''Legends of Tomorrow''). At the end of Season 5, he returns to help the heroes against new Big Bad Prometheus and goes out in a Heroic Sacrifice to save Thea during the season finale.
82	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Spike starts out as the BigBad of Season 2, only to lose the position to Angelus come the second half of the season; after forming an EnemyMine with Buffy to take Angelus down, he later tries to regain the Big Bad title, but fails and ends up pulling a HeelFaceTurn, going from one of Buffy's most dangerous enemies to one of her most trusted allies.
83	* Logia is the second ArcVillain of ''Series/ChouseishinGransazer''. After he's defeated he stays on Earth and reappears in the following arcs to try and settle his score with Tenma. By the end of the series, he's completely given up on fighting and, once the conflict with Warp Monarch is averted, chooses to leave Earth peacefully after bidding farewell to Tenma.
84	* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' did this twice. The first season's BigBad Crais rethinks his life after being tortured by Aeryn and DemotedToDragon by Scorpius, and spends the second season as a WildCard before joining the protagonists for the third season, and dying heroically at the end of that one. Scorpius himself is the Big Bad for the second and third seasons, but at the beginning of the fourth season, after being deposed by Grayza, he pulls an EnemyMine with the protagonists against the Scarrans and remains their TokenEvilTeammate for the rest of the show.
85	* King Richard in ''Series/{{Galavant}}'' starts out as the main villain, kidnapping Galavant's girlfriend Madalena in the first episode and setting up the main conflict. But he turns out to be completely ineffectual and is replaced in short order by Madalena herself, as both ruler of Valencia and BigBad of the series. By the second season, Richard has been reduced to being Galavant's sidekick.
86	* ''Franchise/KamenRider'': The post-series films are fond of bringing back old {{Big Bad}}s and giving them new roles (usually either as spectators or [[EnemyMine aloof allies]]).
87	** Although he died at the end of ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'', Masamune Dan gets revived in the post-series Another Ending movie trilogy. By that point his son Kuroto has surpassed him and become the new BigBad, which leads to Masamune forming an EnemyMine with the heroes purely to spite his own son.
88	** ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'': In a similar situation to the above, Evolt manages to return in the post-series New World movie through a backup plan he had to revive himself. He doesn't get to resume his role though as there's now an even greater threat than himself (his own hedonistic older brother Killbus) on the scene. After helping the heroes defeat him, Evolt wisely decides to leave Earth peacefully rather than stay and start another conflict, bidding the heroes an amicable "ciao" as he departs into space.
89	** Swartz seemingly died at the end of ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'', but was reincarnated as the school principal in the [[ResetButtonEnding reset timeline]] Sougo created. Despite retaining his memories of the old timeline, Swartz doesn't seem too interested in resuming his role as the BigBad for now and even appears to be genuinely invested in his role as principal.
90	** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Gai Amatsu]]/Kamen Rider Thouser was one of two [[BigBadEnsemble Big Bad contenders]] in ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'', but he steps out of the role after pulling a last-minute [[HeelFaceTurn redemption]]. From there he gets [[ReassignedToAntarctica reassigned to the "Thouser department"]] for his failures in stopping the [[BigBad Ark]], leaves his job altogether after [[spoiler:the ZAIA Japan HQ is destroyed during the events of ''Film/KamenRiderZeroOneOthersMetsubouJinrai'']] and starts his own company Thouser-Intellion. In ''Zero-One'' and ''Ex-Aid'''s post-series crossovers, Gai's joined in this role by the Ark, which has not only survived its defeat but seemingly become BoredWithInsanity. It would now much rather observe and take amusement in Kuroto Dan's antics rather than do anything all that villainous, and even steps up to help with fighting the ''new'' KnightTemplar AI that's emerged onto the scene.
91	* ''Series/OnceUponATime'':
92	** Regina Mills, aka the Evil Queen from ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', is the Big Bad in the first season, but undergoes a slow redemption process afterwards, with [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor some setbacks]].
93	** Her sister Zelena, aka the Wicked Witch of the West from ''Literature/TheWizardOfOz'', is the Big Bad of the second half of Season 3, and eventually ends up undergoing the same process.
94	* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
95	** Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd from are the {{Big Bad}}s in all seasons of ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. In ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', they are driven off by the feared Machine Empire and flee to another galaxy. They reappear halway through the series, but never reclaim their status as BigBad. Instead, they try all sorts of schemes to reclaim this position, most of which fail spectacularly. While they do succeed in the finale, ''Series/PowerRangersTurbo'' reveals they have given up the fight against the Power Rangers.
96	** During ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', Karone wore the mantle of Astronema; the Princess of all Evil and later promoted to queen, due to the death of her superior. In the sequel series ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy'', she becomes a Power Ranger instead, but her past as Astronema is still alluded to. Once, she disguised herself as Astronema to intimidate the patrons of a BadGuyBar into giving her a priceless artifact. At another moment, she fought a doppelganger of her past self as a test to prove she was no longer evil.
97	** In the finale of ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' Ransik turns himself in to the Rangers when his actions almost caused the death of his beloved daughter. He reappears in ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'' during their crossover with ''Time Force'' and helps both teams of Rangers to attone for creating their current enemies.
98	* In ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'', after being revealed as A, Mona spends the third season as an ambiguous figure: is the "new" A actually still her, is she helping the new A, or is she actually reformed? It turns out to be the second, but A drops her at the end of the season. Ever since, she's been an ally of the main characters, if not an entirely trusted or trustworthy one.
99	* ''Series/SupermanAndLois'': Tal-Rho is the Big Bad of season 1. His civilian persona, Morgan Edge, fired Clark Kent from his job, rewrote Lois' article, and threatened Smallville. Tal-Rho kidnapped Kal-El, attempted to forcibly possess him with the consciousness of General Zod, and put Jordan (Clark's son) in extreme danger. But his motive is eventually revealed to be that he just wants to have a family which means he's always willing to listen to Clark, his younger half-brother. Initially, Clark rejects Tal-Rho's attempts to connect as a family but by the end of season 2, Tal-Rho has risked his life multiple times to help Superman fight the current big bad. Clark explicitly states that he now considers Tal-Rho both family and friend and one of the final things Superman says to his former antagonist in the season is "I love you too."
100	* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Several of the shows' former seasonal {{Big Bad}}s or BigBadEnsemble members have returned in a redeemed or more minor capacity after losing the title to other antagonists. For examples: Crowley in Season 8 severs all ties with Team Free Will to become one of the main antagonists, but at the start of the next season, he's been brought low by a new addiction to human blood and reverts to being an on-off ally to Team Free Will; Season 9's Metatron reappears a few times across the next two seasons as a pathetic, powerless BigBadWannabe [[spoiler:who ultimately joins the fight to stop Amara]]; and Season 11's Amara makes a post-HeelFaceTurn reappearances in the final season, looking to be left alone until [[spoiler:Chuck, the FinalBoss of the series, manipulates her into merging with him]].
101	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
102	** The three [[BigBadDuumvirate Gaiark Pollution Ministers]] (Yogostein, Kitaneidas and Kegalesia) were the main antagonists for the first half of ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger''. They return in ''Film/SamuraiSentaiShinkengerVsGoOngerGinmakuBang'' where [[GreaterScopeVillain Pollution President Batcheed]] tries to re-recruit them back into the Gaiark, only for them to rebuff his offer, as they would much rather retire and eat sushi instead.
103	** Gekkou of Illusions and Shizuka of the Wind were two players in the BigBadEnsemble of ''Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger''. They survive the series and make several appearances in {{crossover}} movies, including showing up in ''Film/KaizokuSentaiGokaigerVsSpaceSheriffGavanTheMovie'' as prisoners of the Zangyack (alongside the Pollution Ministers and various other reformed villains). The Gokaiger set them all free.
104	* Negan from ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' serves as the BigBad during the second half of Season 6 and the entirety of Seasons 7 and 8, but survives to be deposed as leader of the Saviors and becomes a TokenEvilTeammate to the heroes during the Whisperer arc of Seasons 9 and 10 and onwards.
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Video Games]]
108	* The Big Bad of ''VideoGame/TheAngryVideoGameNerdAdventures'', [[spoiler:Fred Fucks]], returns in the remastered version of ''VideoGame/TheAngryVideoGameNerdIIAssimilation'' as TheRival and a RecurringBoss, but he's not the one who turned the world into a shitty game- [[spoiler:the Fuckotron 9000]] is. [[spoiler:He created it, only for it to turn on him.]]
109	* In ''VideoGame/ArTonelicoMelodyOfElemia'', Mir is the BigBad who wants to wipe out all of humanity. In later games, she became TheAtoner and tried to return the world to its original state. In the second game, she even joins the party, and the protagonist Croix can romance her.
110	* ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'': in the first game, Mr. Big was the BigBad who kidnapped our hero's younger sister and forced their father to work for him. In the second game, he still appears, now as one of the regular fighters who wants to go against his boss, Geese Howard.
111	* Towards the end of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', it is possible to recruit Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir -- the Bad of the game's TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil ensemble -- into the Grey Wardens, instead of simply executing him for his crimes. If this option was taken (and he survived the FinalBattle of ''Origins''), Loghain appears in following games as one of the good guys, such as when he helps out the title organization in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' to fight the Elder One.
112	* Halfway through ''VideoGame/FarCryNewDawn'', the people of Prosperity, Hope County, decided to send the [[PlayerCharacter Captain]] to ally with the cult village of New Eden, formed by the surviving members of the [[ApocalypseCult Project at Eden's Gate]] left over after the former PlayerCharacter, the Deputy of ''VideoGame/FarCry5'', killed most of them, and after Hope County got nuked in the "Resist" ending of the last game. After being allowed entry to New Eden upon finding a book of the teachings of Eden's Gate's founder, [[SinisterMinister Father Joseph Seed]], the Captain ventures into the north to find Joseph living as a meditating hermit. Joseph, having mellowed out upon seeing that the world was a lot less peaceful after society's collapse than he hoped it would be, is no longer interested in trying to brainwash and capture more converts to his cult, instead focusing on keeping his remaining flock alive. So for that reason, he agrees to ally with his former enemies at Prosperity against the murderous Highwaymen, and he even names the Captain his successor as the leader of New Eden and gives them a mystical empowering apple to boot. [[spoiler:Sadly, Joseph's bastard son Ethan is bitter towards his father for giving that power to someone not of the cult, and not to him, his own family, so he decides to sell his people out to the Highwaymen in exchange for a mystical apple of his own. After the apple's power mutates Ethan into a monster and the Captain has to kill him, Joseph finally feels the pain and heartbreak he'd forced the rest of Hope County to experience, realizing that spreading death and destruction was not what God wanted, and begs the Captain to grant him a MercyKill so he can face God's justice.]]
113	* In ''VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame'', Vigo the Carpathian, the BigBad of ''Film/GhostbustersII'', is shown to be stuck in his painting and kept in the Ghostbuster's firehouse as a memento, where he is powerless to do anything except make impotent threats and the occasional reminiscence about the good ol' days to the new recruit if he stops by to observe him.
114	* ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'': The same Geese Howard above was the BigBad of two of the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' games, while his half-brother Wolfgang Krauser was also the BigBad in one ''FF'' game. In ''KOF 96'', they appear together as the Bosses Team along with Mr. Big; they aren't the masterminds of the story (that'd be Goenitz), but they do act as mid-bosses who try to get their hands on the power of the Orochi. In ''KOF XIV'', Geese reappears, now along with his two henchmen as the participants for the tournament that year.
115	* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'':
116	** In the very first game, ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand'', King Dedede was the BigBad who stole all the food in Dream Land and Kirby had to take it back. In subsequent appearances, Dedede has been either mistaken for the BigBad, possessed by the real BigBad, or even a friendly rival for Kirby.
117	** In his first appearance, Magolor from ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'' manipulated Kirby and his allies into defeating Landia for him so he can claim [[ArtifactOfDoom the Master Crown]] for himself and become a GalacticConquerer. ''New Challenge Stages'' from ''[[CompilationRerelease Kirby's Dream Collection]]'' features Magolor returning to build Kirby a theme park in Dream Land to make up for the incident. He's more of a rival to Kirby in this instance, but at least they depart on friendly terms in the end. [[spoiler:The new "Magolor Epilogue" in the VideoGameRemake ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe'' shows Magolor stranded in Another Dimension and how he decided to atone for his misdeeds, culminating in a fight against the very same crown he sought.]]
118	* The first ''VideoGame/{{Knightfall}}'' game has Satan as the FinalBoss. In the sequel, you find him DrowningHisSorrows in a tavern near the beginning.
119	* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'': Played with in regards to Kain. He was the series' original AntiHero protagonist in ''Blood Omen'', but becomes the BigBad in ''[[VideoGame/LegacyOfKainSoulReaver Soul Reaver]]'' by virtue of being the target of [[FallenAngel Raziel's]] vengeance. However, after ''Soul Reaver'', it turns out that Kain was playing a far more complicated game, and from there he goes to being a [[TeethClenchedTeamwork quasi-ally to Raziel]], with the BigBad position then being shared by [[MadOracle Moebius the Timestreamer]], [[EldritchAbomination the Elder God]], and [[AbusivePrecursors the Hylden Lord]].
120	* ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork''
121	** Original BigBad Dr. Wily plays with the trope. Rather than appear directly in his capacity as an [[=Ex-BB=]] (like his ''NT Warrior'' self above), Dr. Wily is often presumed dead after his schemes, only to reappear and retroactively establish that he'd been acting as a GreaterScopeVillain of some kind or another. He plays it straight at the end of the fifth game, appearing to redeem the current BigBad [[HeelFaceBrainwashing by force]].
122	** Played straight by former Gospel head Sean in the third game, who appears and reveals he's been using his skills to help people, despite his tragic history.
123	* [[SatanicArchetype Giratina]] would definitely qualify retroactively in all of its appearances [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondandPearl since its debut]] prior to [[spoiler: ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'']], where it was a genuinely malevolent Pokemon who plotted to get revenge on Arceus and destroy the entire Pokemon world together with [[spoiler: Volo's]] help, making its more benevolent characterization in other games a ForegoneConclusion once it has been finally defeated
124	* ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}''. In both the [[VideoGame/Portal1 first game]] and the first half of ''VideoGame/Portal2'', [=GLaDOS=] acts as the BigBad of the game. But once [[spoiler:Wheatley]] ended up getting uploaded into the facility, he becomes the new BigBad of the second half while [=GLaDOS=] becomes the {{Deuteragonist}} as she [[EnemyMine teams up with Chell]] to stop the facility from being destroyed out of [[spoiler:Wheatley's]] sheer stupidity.
125	* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' does this with the villain of the first game and interquel.
126	** [[spoiler:Coach Oleander]] is the mastermind behind the plot to steal the brains of the campers and have them power psychic death tanks to TakeOverTheWorld, but thanks to Raz going inside his mind and defeating his personal demons, he does a HeelFaceTurn at the end. In subsequent games, he is an uneasy ally of Raz who helps him against the new villains.
127	** [[spoiler:Dr. Loboto]] is the one who kidnaps Truman Zanotto in ''VideoGame/PsychonautsInTheRhombusOfRuin'', but in ''VideoGame/Psychonauts2'' he has been detained and is little more than a StarterVillain who Raz and the others interrogate in an attempt to learn the identity of his boss, the new BigBad. [[spoiler:Loboto]] more-or-less vanishes from the plot after the first stage, becoming just another NPC.
128	* In ''[[VideoGame/SengokuSNK Sengoku 3]]'', there's Byakki and Okuni, two [[{{ninja}} nukenin]] that ran away and became some of the first bosses the protagonist group fights. In the end, both join the group by DefeatMeansPlayable to defeat the GreaterScopeVillain.
129	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter''
130	** In the very first game, Sagat was the BigBad and Ryu's final challenge. In his subsequent appearances, he becomes a part of Shadaloo to take revenge on Ryu, but then loses his interest in revenge and becomes a regular fighter.
131	** M. Bison, leader of Shadaloo, is the BigBad in ''2'' and ''Alpha''. In ''4'', the BigBad is Seth, leader of one of Shadaloo's branches, and Bison goes to fight him (and anybody in-between). M. Bison regains the Big Bad status in ''5'', where he is [[spoiler:KilledOffForReal]].
132	* At the end of ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia'', Gaius is convinced by the party to stop his campaign of gathering all of the world's most powerful weapons. As an AntiVillain, Gaius [[NobleDemon respects the party's strength because of his code of honor]], and [[GracefulLoser willingly stands down after he loses]]. Come ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia2'', he's undergone a total shift in attitude, even joining the player's party to help stop the next crisis from occurring.
133	* In the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' series, each game only covers a single incident. Since each incident is usually separate, and DefeatMeansFriendship is in effect, the BigBad of one game can make a friendly appearance in the next. Sometimes they even become playable characters.
134	* Zeus from ''VideoGame/WorldHeroes 2 Jet'' is the BigBad of the game, organizing the tournament in which the fighters are involved. In the next game, ''World Heroes Perfect'', he appears as the "BigBad", but after defeating him in one round, the real FinalBoss, Neo Dio, appears and [[KilledOffForReal replaces him for real]].
135	* Sarevok in ''VideoGame/BaldursGate''. He's the final boss of the first game. Then in Throne of Bhaal you are forced to resurrect him and he becomes an optional party member who never betrays you. A good [[HelloInsertNameHere Charname]] can even convince him to change his alignment to ChaoticGood.
136	* [[spoiler: Gaius van Baelsar]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' is the main villain during the beginning of the ''A Realm Reborn'' story where he leads his troops to conquer Eorzea and purge it of its primals problem so that TheEmpire can rule over everyone. After his defeat, he seemingly dies when the facility he's in explodes all around him. He doesn't show up until ''much'' later during the story of ''Stormblood'' where he reappears without his helmet and states that while he still supports the Empire, he's only interested in the ideals they used to hold rather than conquering people and he also wants to get revenge on the [[GreaterScopeVillain Ascians]] who helped caused most of the mess he was in. Most of the main cast don't trust him at first and one even lampshades on how he's still alive when he should have been dead. Later on in ''Shadowbringers'', he appears in the Weapons Project side story where he has to deal with his former adopted children who are now grown adults and are fighting for the Empire long after he had given up on his rulers.
137	* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic''/''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'': Archibald Ironfist ends up as this. He is first introduced as the BigBad of ''Heroes II'', where he canonically loses the succession war but is spared. He then moves over to the ''Might and Magic'' series, with ''VI'' featuring his release (out of necessity) and ''VII'' starting out with him having usurped control of another kingdom. However, over the course of the game he ends up usurped himself, with his immediately prior plans having been to secure a safe place to flee to and set up shop. He then helps save his brother (the same one who won the succession war) and promises to stay on his little island from then on.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Webcomics]]
141	* Following his defeat and subsequent sealing in a literal PocketDimension, Dark Star of ''Webcomic/LsEmpire'' spent most of his time being swarmed by small annoying creatures and getting into {{Flame War}}s with the readers. He was later joined by the following BigBad, Phala, [[spoiler:and they had a kid together]].
142	* ''Webcomic/WhiteAngelsGetNoRest'': Baek Yeonwha was the main instigator of conflict in ''Webcomic/WhiteAngelsHaveNoWings''. However, after being arrested and sent to juvie for a while, she decided to go on the straight and narrow with a steady job and a steady girlfriend. Yang Dahye is the person who drags her back out of retirement while trying to get revenge on her for the abuse she put her through in high school.
143	[[/folder]]
144
145	[[folder:Western Animation]]
146	* [[Characters/BigHero6Yokai Yokai/Callaghan]] in [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6theSeries Big Hero 6: The Series]], where he is still shown in prison in one episode, and having regretted his actions in the movie the show spun off from.
147	* ''WesternAnimation/DragonsTheNineRealms'': When former BigBad Buzzsaw returns in the final season, he is overshadowed by the new BigBad Jörmungandr, Apex Predator of all dragons, both in terms of threat and, later in the episode, [[OhCrap literally.]]
148	* ''WesternAnimation/HumanResources2022'' is a SpinOff of ''WesternAnimation/BigMouth'' that features every monster seen throughout the show in either a main or recurring role. This includes the BigBad's of seasons 2-4, Lionel the Shame Wizard, Tito the Anxiety Mosquito and Walter and Rochelle the Love Bug/Hate Worms. Depression Kitty the personal main antagonist of Jessie's story is also in the series.
149	* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'':
150	** In the first two seasons of the series, Valmont is part of the BigBadDuumvirate with the demon Shendu, but after two different gambits lost, he ends up a poor beggar on the streets, desperate for cash and a chance to make his comeback. Shendu likewise loses his prominence, but he has much closer ties to the other significant villains of the show, and so his fall isn't quite as far.
151	** Also, Daolon Wong is the main villain for most of Season 3, until he decides to [[spoiler:[[BackFromTheDead resurrect]] Shendu, which results in Shendu [[ChronicBackStabbingDisorder betraying]] Wong and [[HijackedByGanon upstaging him as the antagonist of the season finale]]]].
152	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraZaheer Zaheer]] and the Red Lotus were the BigBad in Book 3, but by the end, Zaheer is the only known survivor after the Red Lotus were defeated. But due to their actions of killing the Earth Queen Hou-Ting, the Earth Kingdom is left in anarchy, and a new BigBad arrives in Book 4 in the form of Kuvira, who ends up taking over the Earth Kingdom. Korra meets with Zaheer in his prison, where he realizes that his actions led to a new enemy rising up and he decides to help Korra deal with her fears.
153	* The end of the first season of ''WesternAnimation/LoonaticsUnleashed'' revealed Optimatus as the mastermind behind two attempts to eradicate [[CityOfAdventure Acmetropolis]] with meteors. A seemingly lesser second season villain, General Deuce, attempts to abscond with Ace's Guardian Strike Sword, and recurs in the second season finale as an accomplice to Optimatus. However, Deuce is TheManBehindTheMan, and betrays his cohorts as part of an EvilPlan to control all subspace travel in the galaxy. This stinging betrayal triggers Optimatus' HeelFaceTurn in the finale.
154	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
155	** [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative]], [[RealityWarper reality-warping]] draconequus [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicDiscord Discord]] was the BigBad of the Season 2 premiere, causing chaos throughout Equestria. After [[TakenForGranite being defeated]] by the Mane Six, he had a HeelFaceTurn in Season 3. Then, after [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor relapsing and getting backstabbed by Tirek]], Discord became fully, if not [[ReformedButNotTamed still causing chaos]] ForTheLulz instead of ForTheEvulz, reformed by Season 5 onwards.
156	** [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicStarlightGlimmer Starlight Glimmer]] was the BigBad of Season 5 as the ruthless mayor of a town with equal sign cutie marks that she makes with her magic. After being defeated twice, first by restoring the townsponies' cutie marks and second by Twilight Sparkle and Spike via a [[TimeyWimeyBall time-traveling misadventure]] and [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath some pep talk]], Starlight became Princess Twilight's student by Season 6.
157	** In the final season, all of the remaining {{Big Bad}}s of the show's two-parters--[[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicQueenChrysalis Queen Chrysalis]], [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicKingSombra King Sombra]], [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicLordTirek Lord Tirek]], and [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicCozyGlow Cozy Glow]]--are DemotedToDragon by Grogar to serve in his LegionOfDoom, with Sombra getting KilledOffForReal after trying to [[ItsAllAboutMe strike out on his own]], and the rest spending the bulk of the season [[TheStarscream plotting against their new "leader" together]]. [[spoiler:When it's revealed in the GrandFinale that Grogar was Discord all along and his LegionOfDoom was a misguided SecretTest for Twilight, however, they immediately become the show's ultimate BigBadTriumvirate.]]
158	* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': After [[Characters/RickAndMortyEvilMorty Evil Morty]] left the Central Finite Curve in "[[Recap/RickAndMortyS5E10RickamuraiJack Rickmurai Jack]]", Rick Prime--Main Rick's nemesis who murdered his wife--was set up as the new BigBad for the series. In the episode "[[Recap/RickAndMortyS7E5Unmortricken Unmortricken]]" though, Rick Prime gets majorly OutGambitted by Evil Morty--who returns and forms an EnemyMine with Rick and Morty out of self-preservation--and is [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beaten to death by Rick]]. Evil Morty, meanwhile, steals Rick Prime's schematics for the Omega Weapon, but mostly as a deterrent against Rick to prevent him from coming after him, mainly wanting to be left to his own devices. While it does leave him as the biggest overarching threat in the series, for now he has no interest in directly antagonizing the heroes any further.
159	* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama''
160	** [[Characters/TotalDramaHeather Heather]] is the most prominent example in the series. Being the original BigBad of ''Total Drama'', after the conclusion of her first season, she remains around for most of the series. All the other contestants are all too wary of her shady past, but she never quite ascends to the status of main threat ever again. In ''World Tour'' she actually becomes the VillainProtagonist for the first half of the season before going through a HazyFeelTurn and ends up as the AntiHero up against the new BigBad Alejandro.
161	** [[Characters/TotalDramaAlejandro Alejandro]] is the most prominent example other than Heather. During ''World Tour'', Alejandro proved himself to be the most charismatic ''Total Drama'' villain of all time, manipulating and backstabbing his way through the season all the way to the finale, and having a hand in ''almost'' everyone's eliminations. Come ''All-Stars'', unsurprisingly there is '''no one''' who trusts him due to his heinous past. This causes trouble for him once [[EvilerThanThou a threat greater than him]] emerges in the form of Mal. Being one of the few characters [[DevilInPlainSight aware of Mal's true nature]], Alejandro's attempts to warn everyone else falls on mostly deaf ears with everyone believing he's CryingWolf.
162	** Scott after causing havoc in ''Revenge of the Island'' returns in ''All-Stars'' as one of the returning villains. However unlike Alejandro and Heather, he's never treated like much of a threat, with most people [[CharacterizationMarchesOn brushing him off as an idiotic farmboy]].
163	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ExBigBad