[Mesnick]

The characters in the shows develop, change, and actions can be transformed again before the finale. It?s not uncommon for someone who starts out as an enemy to end up as a friend. Redemption ark is an extremely popular technique. It gave the writer chance to preserve a popular and attractive antagonist character, without turning his story upside down. That?s why I want to know, when, in your opinion, this redemption is correct and well done.
In the discussion, you can write how, in your opinion, positive characters should react to a reformed antagonist. And also what actions should never be forgiven.
P.S. You can also provide examples of successful redemptions. And terrible ones.
P.P.S. This is my first poll, so I'm hoping for some activity.

[Sh Ranger]

I like a redemption arc as long as it doesn't break my suspension of disbelief. If I can't see enough redeeming qualities to make a bad guy turn good, but the plot does it anyway, then it doesn't work for me. Even if it's only something in one episode that has strong execution, then I can sympathize.

Examples of redemption arcs I like:

• Amatsu Gai
• Horobi
• Heure
• Himuro Gentoku
• every former villain in Ghost

Examples of redemption arcs I dislike:

• Kureshima Mitsuzane (worst, IMO)
• Isuzu Daichi
• Aguilera
• Kamijo Mutsuki

Congrats on your first poll!

[Matrixbeast]

What's wrong with Mutsuki's redemption arc? I'm curious.

Also, my personal favorite redemption arc is Rio's, from Gekiranger. Mainly because he ultimately knows he doesn't deserve it. He got played and manipulated by Long, but he knows that he's done too much to justify that as a reasoning for his actions.
He was even willing to let GekiBlue kill him before his self sacrifice.

And for a redemption arc that I disliked, Abare Killer. But considering he was only redeemed last minute because of Bandai's pressure thanks to his poor toy sales, I can understand.

In general, I enjoy a redemption arc. It helps give depth to a former villain when they see how their actions have caused so much misery. I just dislike when they get a free pass for being an awful person because they helped punch a worse enemy.

[Sh Ranger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

What's wrong with Mutsuki's redemption arc? I'm curious.

To be fair, I actually enjoyed Mutsuki's interactions with Hikaru that made him introspect more about what he wanted. Mostly, I was disappointed with how his change of heart was caused by a failed King Form change, instead of any of the strong character development that led up to that, which is what I thought the show was trying to do. So, I liked the arc, but not the conclusion. Does that make sense?

[Annuga]

I don't think the option I'd want applies to anything in the poll, what I want in a redemption arc is for it to feel believable and deserved, Rogue's felt believable as he's a broken man realizing what he'd done under the effects of Pandora's Box and wanting to make things right. It makes sense for a character who was brainwashed into doing stuff against his values to actively do the opposite. Michinaga from Geats is also a good example, for he realized that his goals and Geats' aligned meaning it was in his best interest to go on the path of righteousness.

A bad example to me is Amatsu Gai, for both reasons why a redemption can feel flat imo, for starters, it feels very sudden, he's directly antagonized and attempted to murder Aruto throughout the show but suddenly he tells us his dad was strict and now he's a good guy which doesn't feel like enough of a reason to make him such a bastard as he's shown to be like 30 years later. The bigger reason is that it feels entirely unearned. This man has canonically been shown committing series crimes by endangering people, destroying evidence to cover up his own crimes, attempted murder, sexual harassment and oh, you know, being the cause of everything bad that happens in the show? He never really faces any consequences for this nor does it feel like he's truly regretful of all of his heinous acts but rather realized "Oh shit Ark would kill me too, better fight the thing I specifically made to try and wipe out humanity before it wipes out humanity". It's like they saw his toys weren't selling and tried to make him a good guy so that kids would suddenly like him

[Mesnick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh Ranger

I like a redemption arc as long as it doesn't break my suspension of disbelief.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrixbeast

In general, I enjoy a redemption arc. It helps give depth to a former villain when they see how their actions have caused so much misery. I just dislike when they get a free pass for being an awful person because they helped punch a worse enemy.

Thank you for your opinion.
Personally, I always perceived the villainous Mitsuki as possessed, so I have no complaints about his healing. As for Michy, I have always treated him quite leniently because of the way the actor puts himself into this role. Another thing is that all in the show is very polite with this character. Perhaps, if the main villain of the crossover with Drive had turned out to be the robotic Michy from the future, this would have turned out to be the best epilogue for the character.

[Mesnick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annuga

I don't think the option I'd want applies to anything in the poll, what I want in a redemption arc is for it to feel believable and deserved

Thank you for your opinion. I couldn't check this option because it's unlikely that anyone would claim to love "implausible" redemptions. Although in the case of Michinaga, I think that the main reason was not the common goal, but the understanding that he would not be able to achieve it. Unlike Ace. At the end of Desire Royal, being invulnerable and choosing to keep fighting meant nothing. Man may rise high, but he will never be equal to God. At least that's what Geats claims. While we don't yet know what will happen in the crossover with Gotchard, the alchemists may have a few cards up their sleeve.

[Annuga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mesnick

Thank you for your opinion. I couldn't check this option because it's unlikely that anyone would claim to love "implausible" redemptions. Although in the case of Michinaga, I think that the main reason was not the common goal, but the understanding that he would not be able to achieve it. Unlike Ace. At the end of Desire Royal, being invulnerable and choosing to keep fighting meant nothing. Man may rise high, but he will never be equal to God. At least that's what Geats claims. While we don't yet know what will happen in the crossover with Gotchard, the alchemists may have a few cards up their sleeve.

I mean, "Yes but only if it feels justified" is a neat way to say it.


I mean. Michinaga's goal was to have the power to crush any Kamen Rider, forcing them out of the DGP to spare them the pain, death and suffering it causes with a 'the end justifies the means' attitude, realizing that Geats isn't just some glamorous fop but rather someone who after getting closure wanted to make a world where the DGP had no reason to exist meant that he could achieve his endgoal without having to sacrifice and trample over others, showing he doesn't like the things he did per se but rather felt they were truly needed. I don't get how you can read that as "Welp, I'm not able to do what I wanted, time to be friendly with a guy I have a venomous hate boner for just because he's stronger than me despite this happening constantly"

[Sunred]

Out of curiosity, Parad's redemption arc, yay or nay.

[Matrixbeast]

I think Parado's redemption would've worked a lot better if he didn't literally kill several Ride Players.
It made it such an uneasy pill to swallow that everyone accepted him so willingly even after he did that, since there was no coming back for them.