I tend to gravitate toward certain character journeys, and redemption arcs are definitely one of them. I love writing them, and I love watching them unfold even more. There’s just something growing as a person that really works for me.
What is a redemption arc?
The answer to that question is very simple. A redemption arc begins with a character who starts out as an antagonist, a villain, or a deeply flawed person, but events leads him to go through some real soul-searching to become better. They don’t begin with good intentions. In fact, they usually start by making life a living hell for the protagonist. But somehow, by the end, they’ve earned our forgiveness anyway.
Most great redemption arcs have a few things in common. Here’s what makes them work.
In the Beginning
A redeemed villain tends to start in a place of deeply ingrained bitterness, trauma, or misguided loyalty. Their initial world is built on a toxic belief system.
They do not wake up one day and decide to be good; they are usually thrusted in a situation they can’t get out of, and it triggers the start of the journey. In a traditional hero story, this is called, “the call to adventure.” But in this case, it’s usually them dragged into their journey kicking, screaming, making them the reluctant hero and the redemption so gratifying. Because they will become better people dispite themselves.
About the Kingslayer
Let’s talk about Jamie Lannister of A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin.
I love this series. So. Good. The second I met Jamie Lannister, I was like, eh, don’t care for him. (I mean, he knocked Bran from out the window, paralyzing him.)
But as the story progresses, Jaime is captured, humbled, and physically broken when he loses his sword hand, which defines his whole identity.
The Turning Point
Stripped of what made him formidable, he’s stuck relying on Brienne of Tarth, a woman of real honor who he used to mock. Through their shared trials, Jaime—begins to confront his past choices. We also learn the tragic backstory of why he killed the Mad King (to save an entire city from burning), which is a detail everyone else conveniently ignores when they call him “Kingslayer.”
Over and over, Jaime battles within himself as to who he wants to be versus who the world expects him to be. He changes. Bit by bit, he begins to choose honor over selfishness. He never meant to become a good guy, but losing everything he was forces him to rebuild himself into something better.
*Note that without enduring this journey, he probably wouldn’t.
Prince Zuko
Moving on to Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. While Aang wants to save the world, Zuko wants the opposite. He is an angry teenager desperate to capture the Avatar to regain his father’s love and his own “honor.”
Nonetheless, circumstances, failure, and his Uncle Iroh cause him to see the suffering his nation has caused.
Zuko never planned on switching sides, but he slowly gets there anyway. He confronts his awful family, offers to teach the Avatar firebending He stumbles along the way, which makes his eventual transformation into a hero incredibly rewarding.
Loki
The last example of a redeemed character is Loki from the Marvel Universe. Loki starts as a literal god of mischief, invading Earth and causing mass casualties out of jealousy toward his brother, Thor.
He doesn’t want to be a hero. He wants a throne. (Selfish) But after losing his mother, his father, and eventually his home world, his selfish wants are stripped away. He has two choices:
1. Stay a bitter trickster and die alone.
2. Step up and stand with his brother.
In the end, he faces down the ultimate threat to save his people, completing a journey from a villain to a tragic savior.
The Difference: Antihero vs. Redeemed Villain
Something to note: the redeemed villain differs from the antihero in that the antihero usually keeps their rough edges and cynical motivations throughout the entire story.
An antihero does bad things for a good cause (or selfish reasons). A redeemed villain used to do bad things for bad reasons, but undergoes a fundamental shift in their moral compass.
3 Core Qualities of a Redemption Arc
- They must face real consequences. Their past misdeeds cannot just be brushed under the rug; they have to actively work to repair the damage they caused.
- The change must be slow. Lasting change doesn’t happen overnight. It requires stumbling, backtracking, and internal conflict.
- They have a catalyst. A specific relationship or traumatic event forces them to see the error of their ways.
The Pitfall
Some people feel that some characters are irredeemable. I think it’s because the steps listed above hasn’t been fully explored.
Final Thoughts
So that’s the deal with redemption arcs. They’re genuinely fun to write, and they give you some of the most gut-punching, high-stakes drama you can put in a story.