Times where an antagonist rejects an offered opportunity to redeem themselves in Comic Books.
- Christopher Cantwell's Doctor Doom series spent a lot of time asking the question of whether Victor von Doom could be a good person, as seen in a vision he kept having where he is Happily Married, has children, is unscarred and has turned the universe into a utopia. This was continuing on from Doom's redemption arc from the conclusion of Secret Wars (2015) and the Infamous Iron Man series, where Doom made a genuine attempt at changing his ways after Reed Richards healed his face, before he was re-scarred after going out of his way to be noble. In the last issue, Doom finally travels to this alternate universe where his life apparently turned out perfect and meets his alternate self. It turns out that this life for him is only, and will only ever be possible when he and Reed Richards work together. The idea enrages Doom so much that he uses the Ultimate Nullifier to destroy the entire universe. Keep in mind, the Nullifier will destroy the user unless their thoughts are unclouded and their mind fully focused and intent on what they set to use it for, and Doom survives this. So there is no wiggle room here — Doom completely intended to commit the deed and did, now having a bodycount higher than Thanos and Galactus combined. It's safe to say the "redeemed Doom" saga closed out on a bit of a Downer Ending.
- Flag-Smasher (Karl Morgenthau) is obsessed with destroying the very concept of countries and national borders, believing this will make everyone equal and establish world peace, but resorts to terrorism and murder to achieve his dream. Captain America confronts him and says he supports his dream of equality and world peace, then says he can achieve it peacefully by being a positive example. Flag-Smasher refuses to listen and the Captain is forced to defeat him.
- Inertia pulls one in Impulse. Max Mercury reminds him that he has completely immersed himself in his Impulse role while impersonating him and actually became a great hero. Inertia seems willing, but Max mentions Impulse, pushing Inertia's Berserk Button. He immediately backtracks and decides to kill both Impulse and Max. He nearly succeeds, only stopped by Impulse's Armor-Piercing Question.
- The ending of The Killing Joke is along these lines. Batman reaches out to The Joker that they've got to stop before one of them kills the other. Joker seems to want to but sadly rebuffs the offer, before telling his famous joke.Batman: Don't you understand? I don't want to hurt you. I don't want either of us to end up killing the other. But we're both running out of alternatives... and we both know it. Maybe it all hinges on tonight. Maybe this is our last chance to sort this bloody mess out. If you don't take it, then we're both locked onto a suicide course. Both of us. To the death. It doesn't have to end like that. I don't know what it was that bent your life out of shape, but who knows? Maybe I've been there too. Maybe I can help. We could work together. I could rehabilitate you. You needn't be out there on the edge anymore. You needn't be alone. We don't have to kill each other. What do you say?
Joker: No. I'm sorry, but... no. It's too late for that. Far too late. Hahaha. You know, it's funny. This situation. It reminds me of a joke... - Majestic: From the old WildStorm run, Majestic's final confrontation with his old archenemy Helspont, with Helspont hooked to a machine that would allow him to destroy the planet and Majestic repeatedly stopping him but slowly dying of a disease the whole while. In one last bitter conversation between the two, Majestic explains that he now understands the Daemonites' worldview as oppressed slaves who fought back against their slave masters the Kherubim (Majestic's species). Majestic pleads for Helspont not to prove himself a "monster" after all with an offer of mutual peace, but Helspont turns him down with a giant smile on his face out of a perverse sense of "duty" — now more motivated by spite towards Majestic and the entire Kherubim race.
- Mega Man (Archie Comics):
- Wily threw away many of his chances to come back to the side of the good. Doctor Light even lampshades this.
- When he is offered purpose for the greater good of the world, Quick Man pulls this. His reasoning is that changing his programming will kill off what characterises him. He then presents a solution: decommission him.
- Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) picks up after the events of Sonic Forces. After his defeat, Dr. Eggman has lost his memory. Sonic tries to bury the hatchet with Metal Sonic, saying that he longer has to serve Eggman and that he's free to be his own person. Metal Sonic, however, refuses Sonic's offer.
- Superboy Prime: In Final Crisis - Legion of 3 Worlds, Superman tries to redeem Superboy-Prime by reminding him of his loved ones, like his girlfriend and parents. By then he has accepted they are gone and is trying to be a villain, so he rejects Superman's words.
- X-Men: Colossus is prepared to sacrifice everything to save the soul of his sister Illyana, whom he still remembers as his "little Snowflake", even taking on the demonic power of the Juggernaut (losing his humanity and the love of Kitty Pryde in the process). By the end of Avengers vs. X-Men, Illyana makes it abundantly clear that "There are no snowflakes in Hell," and that she has embraced her insanity. He appears to finally get the message; he vows that he would kill her if he ever saw her again. A few years in real life would go by before Illyana would come around and Colossus would happily reunite with his dear sister.
