One fact of life is that many things change. Things in the present may be different from what they were in the past. Stories, the chief goal of them being "change", will also play with changes a lot.
Compare This Might Be an Index.
Not to be confused with Renamed Tropes or The Ex Index.
- Adoptive Name Change
- The Atoner
- Became Their Own Antithesis
- Becoming the Mask: What was originally the undercover agent's cover becomes their real personality.
- Character Development: A character gradually develops into having a different personality from what they had at the series' start.
- Cinderella Plot: Usually involves a servant/slave girl being transformed into a princess, or a modern equivalent.
- Constantly Changing Name: A name is changed many times.
- Curiosity Causes Conversion: Redemption comes after a character becomes curious about the other side.
- Dead Sparks: A relationship becomes dispassionate.
- Defector from Decadence: Leaving behind a group out of disgust at their bad ways.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: A cold, unapproachable character develops into a warm-hearted and friendly character.
- Dumbass No More: A dumb character becomes intelligent.
- Dynamic Character
- Fallen Hero: A villain who used to be a respected hero.
- The Fellowship Has Ended
- Former Bigot: A character that used to have bigoted views.
- Former Child Star: An adult who was a popular celebrity when they were a child.
- Former Friend of Alpha Bitch: A character used to be friends with the Alpha Bitch, but not anymore.
- Former Friends Photo
- Formerly Friendly Family: Family members that were once close to each other, but now hate each other.
- Former Teen Rebel: A mature adult who used to be a unruly, troublesome child.
- Formerly Fat: A physically fit person was once obese.
- Formerly Fit: An overweight person was once of a healthy physique.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: A feared and powerful villain started out as an insignificant person.
- From Zero to Hero: An insignificant person becomes a hero worthy of honor.
- Full-Circle Revolution
- Future Badass: In the future, a character will be way cooler than they are in the present day.
- Future Loser: In the future, someone will become more pathetic than they are now.
- Grew a Spine
- Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: A bald character used to have hair.
- Heel/Face Index
- Heel–Face Town: A place that used to be a Wretched Hive becomes a gentrified place.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen
- I Was Quite a Fashion Victim
- I Was Quite a Looker: A person was more attractive when they were younger.
- Jaded Professional: A character who used to like their job, but now hates it.
- Jaded Washout: A character who used to be bright and successful, but is now a cynical, washed-up loser.
- Meaningful Rename: A character had an old name before being given a new one.
- Once Acceptable Targets: What was once believed okay to mock is now considered a verboten target of mockery.
- The Paragon Always Rebels
- Princess in Rags
- A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: A student used to be loyal to their mentor.
- Rags to Riches: A character used to be poor, but now is rich and famous.
- Rags to Royalty:
- Reformed Bully: The character used to be a bully.
- Reformed Criminal
- Rescued from the Scrappy Heap: A character who was widely disliked by fans becomes better appreciated.
- Retired Badass: Someone was a badass in their youth, but has now grown old and weak.
- Riches to Rags: A character used to be rich, but now is poor.
- Saved from Development Hell: A work originally in Development Hell finally finishes production and gets released.
- Shed the Family Name
- Sickly Child Grew Up Strong
- Significant Name Shift
- Skeptic No Longer
- Stopped Caring
- That Man Is Dead: A person takes on a new identity and regards their original persona as non-existent.
- Time Marches On
- Took a Level in Badass: A character becomes stronger, more powerful, and/or more competent than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Cheerfulness: A character becomes more lively and cheerful than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Cynic: A character becomes less trusting, caring, and generous than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Dumbass: A character becomes dumber than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Idealism: A character becomes more trusting, caring, and generous than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: A character becomes meaner than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Kindness: A character becomes nicer than they were originally.
- Took a Level in Smartass: A character becomes snarkier than they were originally.
- The Trope Formerly Known as X
- Unseen No More: A character who was initially only mentioned or had their face obscured finally shows up in person and completely visible.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: A bad person was nicer when they were younger.
- Used to Be a Tomboy: A feminine girl used to be a Tomboy.
- Used to Be More Social: An asocial and solitary character used to be sociable and friendly.
- Vestigial Empire
- Was Once a Man: A monster is revealed to be a transformed human.
- We Used to Be Friends: Two enemies used to be the best of friends.
- We Were Your Team
