Half-Baked Redemptions

A Half-Baked Redemption is when a villain who is written to be very evil suddenly redeems without any hints of redemption before this happened. This kind of redemption is a poor move in terms of writing and teaching mercy and forgiveness in fiction.

Examples

 * Bebop and Rocksteady (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)): Their redemption was forced as they would change the way they act not because the Shredder and Kraang were trying to destroy the world but because they were being mean to Bebop and Rocksteady. It doesn't help that his redemption would occur a few minutes to before the series officially ended, not giving them a proper redemption.
 * Rei Isurugei (Gegege No Kitaro (2018 – 2020)): The anime practically ignored both the fact that he already crossed the Moral Event Horizon more than once with his attacks on Yokai and the fact he refused multiple times to let go of his revenge. Instead, it had the heroes force him to redeem himself because they didn't want to kill him (even Kitaro has been willing to kill if necessary) and used his tragic backstory as an excuse to justify showing mercy even though he never showed any. All of this, plus the fact that Shōnen manga and anime tend to force redemption and mercy even if the said villain does not deserve it.
 * The Diamonds (Steven Universe)
 * Spinel (Steven Universe: The Movie)
 * Snowball (The Secret Life of Pets)
 * Erisio (Kirakira★PreCure a la Mode (2017))
 * Queen Barb (Trolls: World Tour)
 * The Shadow (Odd Squad)
 * Amy (Cuties)
 * Stalyan (Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017-2020)): Not only was her redemption forced, but it also created a double standard saying we can never fight and/or imprison women even if they are criminals who have committed terrible things.
 * Gai Amatsu (Kamen Rider Zero-One)
 * Bucky (Z-O-M-B-I-E-S)
 * Catra (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020)): Disregarding what Great Characters Wiki says, she constantly committed terrible acts and refused to accept that she was responsible for her own actions, and then was given a rushed redemption without having enough time to go through a proper redemption arc. Her redemption was also only done because fans wanted her and Adora together, even though Adora eventually realized that she was too far gone and gave up on her.
 * Hordak (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020)): Despite his reasons, Hordak committed mass-genocide of intelligent-life and he was ultimately redeemed without any punishment whatsoever. Like Catra, his redemption arc is also rushed.
 * Miss Nettle (Sofia the First (2013-2018))
 * Prisma (Sofia the First (2013-2018))
 * Princess Ivy (Sofia the First (2013-2018))
 * Nyx and the Fairy Scouts (Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast)
 * Tess Tyler (Camp Rock)
 * Quipue (Elena of Avalor (2016-2020))
 * Douglas Davenport (Lab Rats (2012-2016))
 * Colonel Tinker (Rupert (1991-1997))
 * Raiden the Moon King (Kubo and the Two Strings)
 * Master Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts Series)
 * Big Tex Arkana (Buddy Thunderstruck (2017))
 * Xian Lang (Mulan (2020))
 * Ayato Kirishima (Tokyo Ghoul)
 * Toru Mutsuki (Tokyo Ghoul:re)
 * Will of the Abyss (Pandora Hearts)
 * Discord (Season 3 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010-2019)): His redemption in Season 3's "Keep Calm and Flutter On" was rushed, but in later seasons (most notably season 4's "Twilight's Kingdom"), his redemption is more justified.
 * Chancellor Neighsay (Season 8 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010-2019)): Like Discord, his redemption was rushed, but unlike Discord's, his redemption had little-to-no justification other than the insistence to include villains when saving "everyone".
 * Void Dark (Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance)
 * The Spy Girls (UglyDolls)
 * Astra Logue (Legends of Tomorrow)
 * Charlie/ Clotho (Legends of Tomorrow)
 * Orochimaru (Naruto)
 * Kabuto Yakushi (Naruto)
 * Obito Uchiha (Naruto)
 * Madara Uchiha (Naruto)
 * Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)
 * Toneri Ōtsutsuki (The Last: Naruto the Movie)
 * Sarina Shizukume (Magical Girl Site): Her redemption was when Aya teleported her to her empty vandalized desk in order to make her realize her bullying.
 * Kaname Asagiri (Magical Girl Site): Like Sarina, his redemption was when Aya wanted to make him realize his cruel nature by protecting him and trying to get over his father's "grueling" training for gifted students like him.
 * Most of the humans (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (2020)) While Doag and Greta were passable, everyone else was practically forced to redeem just to avoid having the heroes kill them and insist that communication and mercy are better than violence, despite the fact that they already helped Emilia cure a handful of the major mute characters. This also ruins Kipo's character development, making her never accept that she can't redeem everyone.
 * Gene (Wreck-It Ralph)
 * Hawk (Cobra Kai)
 * King Poseidon (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run)
 * Namaari (Raya and the Last Dragon)
 * Abraham van Helsing (Hotel Transylvania 3)
 * Merle Dixon (The Walking Dead)
 * Gabriel "Sylar" Gray (Heroes)
 * Laurel Lance (Arrowverse: Earth-2)
 * Maxwell Lord (Wonder Woman 1984)
 * Fairytale villains (Shrek the Third)
 * Noah Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!): His redemption was when he realized that he'd unknowingly aided Gozuburo Kaiba in getting his revenge from beyond the grave. The problem is that he'd done nothing up until that point to earn it.
 * Eva McCulloch/Mirror Mistress (The Flash): Her redemption was when the Flash and Iris West wanted Eva to realize that creating mirror duplicates and "liberating" a new image of herself will not change anything.
 * Baron Draxum (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
 * Zeta (The Angry Birds Movie 2)
 * Master Frown (Unikitty!)
 * The Dino-Birds (Ice Age: Collision Course)
 * Heidi Turner (Season 21 of South Park)
 * Terence (Tom & Jerry (2021 film))
 * Galza (Mashin Sentai Kiramager)
 * Leo Akaba (Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V)
 * Lady Vain (Happily N'Ever After 2: Snow White - Another Bite @ the Apple)
 * Great Zamboni (Spooky House)
 * Laurel Lance (Arrowverse: Earth 2)
 * Talia Al Ghul (Season 8 of Arrow)
 * Ker (Battlefield Earth)
 * Kane (F the Prom)
 * Beverly "Bev" Vane (Hillbilly Elegy)
 * Nicole (Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe In Santa)
 * Jesse Justice (Miracle in Toyland)

Why this Happens

 * Many parents and writers think it is the right way to teach children the importance of mercy.
 * People often confuse the idea of justice with revenge or violence.
 * Some people are scared of the very concept of death and want to avoid it at all cost.

Why The Trope Sucks

 * 1) These redemptions are thrown in their stories, lacking any proper structure and skipping important steps of a redemption arc.
 * 2) It creates a misguided and false belief that everyone can AND WILL redeem.
 * 3) Many of these examples are villains who have already crossed what is called the Moral Event Horizon, which means they have committed an act so evil or selfish or have crossed so many lines that audiences won't want them redeemed anymore, meaning these redemptions are forced down audiences' throats!
 * 4) *Also, making a villain commit terrible acts and refuse to give up, only to have the heroes force them to redeem is a waste of suspense!
 * 5) Insisting on this kind of redemption all the time can make audience members annoyed and become tired of the idea of redemption ALL TOGETHER.
 * 6) It is extremely limiting to viewers of all ages.
 * 7) While it does succeed in teaching that mercy is possible, it purposely leaves out the fact that it does not always work.
 * 8) This move means the villain is getting away with the terrible things they did without any punishment whatsoever and they are still a threat, and it’s being treated like it's a good thing!
 * 9) Making characters who are supposed to be "heroes" force this kind of redemption and treat it as a good thing turns those characters into one-dimensional, unrealistic, and worst of all... downright flat!
 * 10) It is also a bad influence to viewers as anyone in reality could be easily killed or have their lives ruined by a bad person or someone evil when they do show mercy.

The Only Redeeming Quality

 * 1) While many of these redemptions are forced, some redemptions are executed very well, such as Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Karai from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 and 2012) and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader from Star Wars.

Examples of a well-written redemption

 * Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
 * Karai (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 and 2012))
 * Goro Akechi/Crow (Persona 5)
 * Takuto Maruki (Persona 5: Royal)
 * Chidori Yoshino (Persona 3)
 * Jinx (Teen Titans (2003))
 * Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Star Wars)
 * Tien Shinhan (Dragon Ball)
 * Piccolo (Dragon Ball Z)
 * Vegeta (Dragon Ball Z)
 * Nuova Shenron (Dragon Ball GT)
 * Gaara (Naruto)
 * Meruem (Hunter x Hunter)
 * Jamack (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (2020))
 * Sunset Shimmer (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks): After being forgiven too fast in the first movie, the second one gave Sunset proper character development, making her redemption more realistic and complete.
 * Emerald Sustrai (RWBY (2013-present))
 * Scorpia (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020))
 * Felonious Gru (Despicable Me (2010))
 * Juvia Lockser (Fairy Tail (2009-2019))
 * The Newton Wolves (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (2020))
 * Steve Harrington (Stranger Things (2016-present))
 * Globby (Big Hero 6: The Series (2017-2021))
 * Lena Sabrewing (Ducktales (2017-2021))
 * Tex Arkana Jr. (Buddy Thunderstruck (2017))
 * Sheriff Cannonball (Buddy Thunderstruck (2017))
 * Endeavor (My Hero Academia)
 * Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)
 * Nina Einstein (Code Geass)
 * Severus Snape (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)
 * Isabella (The Promised Neverland; Manga)
 * Curtis Everett (Snowpiercer)
 * Byakuya Togami (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (2010))
 * Nagito Komaeda (Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair)
 * Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu (Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair)
 * Kyosuke Munakata (Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School)
 * Juzo Sakakura (Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School)
 * Maki Harukawa (Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony)
 * Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist; Manga and Brotherhood)
 * Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist; Manga and Brotherhood)
 * Lust (Fullmetal Alchemist; 2003 anime)
 * Boromir (The Lord of the Rings)
 * Megamind (Megamind)
 * Peridot (Steven Universe)
 * Flandre Scarlet (Touhou Project)
 * Remilia Scarlet (Touhou Project)
 * Yuyuko Saigyouji (Touhou Project)
 * Suwako Moriya (Touhou Project)
 * Fujiwara no Mokou (Touhou Project)
 * Kaguya Houraisan (Touhou Project)
 * Byakuren Hijiri (Touhou Project)
 * Hiei (Yu Yu Hakusho)
 * Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
 * Diamond Tiara (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
 * Silver Spoon (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
 * Ruby Tojo (Rosario + Vampire; Manga)
 * Dinobot (Beast Wars: Transformers)
 * Theon Greyjoy (Game of Thrones)
 * Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)
 * Grace Monroe (Infinity Train)
 * Jae Galhwa (The Devil's Boy)
 * Eleanor Shellstrop (The Good Place (2016-2020))
 * Iago (Aladdin: The Return of Jafar)
 * Captain Gantu (Leroy & Stitch)
 * Rin/Suzune (Senran Kagura)
 * Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)
 * Anastasia Tremaine (Cinderella III: A Twist in Time) After being forgiven too fast in the second movie, Dreams Come True, A Twist in Time gave Anastasia proper character development and made her redemption arc feel more realistic and complete.
 * Sadira (Aladdin (1994-1995 TV series))
 * Chuck (Larva Island)
 * Entrapta (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020))
 * Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-2020))
 * Akito Sohma (Fruits Basket)
 * Ian Hawke (Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked)