There's nothing I love more in a story than a good redemption arc. A shady character who has struggled with the questionable morality of his/her actions fights to correct past mistakes and is determined to be on the good side.

These characters make some of the most relatable and compelling characters, but they are particularly difficult to write correctly and convincingly, and for good reason. Very few writers have done the horrible things that their redemption characters have, thus making it hard to get into the mindset of one completely rewiring his/her brain and making up for his/her past mistakes in a way more meaningful than just putting a Band-AID on a bullet wound. But, hey, glass half full, even if most of us haven't tortured and persecuted innocent people simply trying to live their lives in peace, we all have done things that we regret.

How many times have you tossed and turned in bed, not able to sleep because you're thinking about something you regret saying or doing six years ago? Or ten years ago? Twelve? And then you make a scenario in your mind where you sincerely apologize or make up for your mistake in some way, wishing with everything you have that you could make that a reality, but can't, or are just too afraid to. These are the feelings you need to channel when writing your redemption characters. Except here's the difference between you and your character-- your character has to go through with it. People love a redemption character because they are inspired by how he/she does the apologizing and making-up-for-it that the rest of us are often times too afraid to do.

But here's the catch--you can't make it easy. For your redemption character to truly redeem him/herself, he/she has to struggle. Redemption is hard. We're not talking about stopping a bad habit like cracking your knuckles or biting your nails. This is a complete change of mindset and morals--completely rewiring the brain! It's setting up boundaries and having a determination not to cross them. It's forgiving yourself for past mistakes and learning to move on from them, but still not treating those mistakes casually, lest you be blindsided by circumstances and fall into the same rut again in the future. It's about becoming a new person, and that is incredibly hard to do. Think of it like climbing a steep sand dune. The ground is loose beneath your feet, and it seems like the harder you try to move forward, the further back the sand pulls you. Sometimes you lose your footing and stumble. Maybe you slide back, or are pushed back by people higher up on the dune. Sand blurs your vision and stings your exposed skin as you slowly, ever so slowly, pull your way to the top of the dune.

If you need an example for a redemption arc done right, look no further than Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender (Note: Spoilers for the show ahead. If you've not watched the show (you need to), it'd be best to not read more until you have (Seriously. It's worth it)).

I have an entire series of essays I've written about this show, and I could go on for literal pages about it, but for the sake of not losing the interest of readers, I'll boil it down to the good stuff with a comparison of a few of Zuko's lines throughout the show to showcase his progression:

"I don't need any calming tea!"

"I want my honor. I want my throne."

"I don't want to make a life here."

"I used to think this scar marked me--the mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

"You have no right to judge me, Uncle. I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me."

"No, I've learned everything! And I've had to learn it on my own!"

"We've created an era of fear in the world. And if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

"I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you."

Even out of context, there is a clear development to be gleaned from just these few lines. We see a few shuffles forward, and then a major step back. This is the nature of redemption. It's hard. Really hard. There are going to be steps backwards. There are going to be pitfalls, and it's important to write them. They add a realistic feel to the arc, because in reality, people relapse all the time. I mean, how often have all of us returned to some of those bad habits I mentioned earlier? Relapse is part of the redemption process, so be sure to make sure it's included.

I honestly love redemption arcs, and I could go on for longer than anyone wants to spend listening about them and the intricacies of redemption. So before I get any more carried away than I already am, I'm gonna leave you with this question: What is the hardest part of writing a redemption arc for you personally? Let me know in the comments! And please feel free to add your own thoughts about redemption arcs. Goodness knows redemption is not an exact science, nor should it be, because our mistakes and our struggles to move on and turn away from those mistakes are individual and personal.

Got any requests of topics you'd like us to cover? Let us know!

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Now that you know what a redemption arc is and why it's crucial, it's important for you to take a look at some of the most famous good and bad redemption arcs. Of course, my bias is placed **heavily** in, but ultimately it is up to you to agree or disagree. A couple of these examples (three and four in particular) are controversial, and while I have picked a side and presented my case, it is okay for you to start discussion about these arcs. Being able to identify whether a character's redemption arc is good or not will help you in your own writing process.

Of course, it is important to remember that not all of these characters are true villains. They are all **pardon my French** asses at one point, but that does not make them villains. Villains are not the only people who can be redeemed--- it can be someone as small as an annoying character or disliked bully who can be redeemed (or not) in the eyes of a viewer.

Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender

We'll briefly touch upon this character arc because Lin did a good job highlighting some key moments, however he needs to be mentioned nonetheless. When you think of character redemptions, you think of Zuko. Over the course of three seasons, he went from being Team Avatar's worst enemy to Aang's Firebending teacher, and not mention friend. His redemption was a journey; not a choice he made overnight. We can first analyze his tragic backstory to sympathize in Book One: his mother's tragic disappearance, constantly being *shudders* Azula's shadow in the eyes of his father, and not to mention the lack of approval from his father. He is sent to search for the Avatar, and only when he finds Aang will his father accept him back. Thus, his obsession with finding Aang starts. It isn't until book two where Zuko does some self-searching. By the end, he realizes the error of his ways and fights for what he thinks is truly right.

Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

For my fellow Pride and Prejudice fans, we can all agree that in the beginning of the novel, Mr Darcy is--- excuse my language AGAIN--- an ass. He makes disrespectful comments about Elizabeth Bennett at a ball, and overall is rude to her. Over time, he starts to realize his feelings for her and later proposes marriage to Elizabeth. While doing so, he makes comments, for instance, claiming he could move past her 'inferiority'. In response, Elizabeth says:

"You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner."

Naturally, she rejects him. At first, Darcy is angered. Over time, he re-evaluate his actions and how his words affected others. He gives her a letter explaining why he did what he did, which helps Elizabeth see him in a different light. Later in the novel, Darcy and Elizabeth run into each other while she is visiting with her aunt and uncle. She is surprised to learn how Darcy's manners have changed. He is kinder, and engages in conversation that he never did before. Also, after finding out that Elizabeth's youngest sister Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham, Darcy does anything to find her and encourages marriage, to the relief of the Bennett family. He does this out of care for her and her family, because if marriage didn't happen between Lydia and Wickham, the prospects of the rest of the Bennet daughters would be damaged (19th century, am I right?)

 When Elizabeth realized that he did this, she can see how much he was willing to help. He also rights his wrongs from earlier in the book, and in doing this he shows Elizabeth how he has become a better person. His arc lasted months of self reflection, and in the end he did anything he could to show her that he could change. He goes from an arrogant boy to saying things such as:

"What did you say of me, that I did not deserve? For, though your accusations were ill-founded, formed on mistaken premises, my behaviour to you at the time had merited the severest reproof. It was unpardonable. I cannot think of it without abhorrence...I shall never forget: 'had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner.' Those were your words. You know not, you can scarcely conceive, how they have tortured me;—though it was some time, I confess, before I was reasonable enough to allow their justice.' "

Darcy acknowledges his past behavior to Elizabeth and tries to fix it through his actions--- and only then does she accept his marriage proposal and return his love.

Snape and Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter

For most of the series, Severus Snape seems to be a bad guy. He is mean and seems to dislike the main protagonist. It is obvious that the audience is meant to believe that he is working for Voldemort the whole time. But by the end of the series, it is revealed that Snape had quite the opposite intentions. He swore to watch Harry in honor of his love for Lily, Harry's deceased mother. He no longer trusted Death Eaters, and sort of acted like a 'double agent' for Dumbledore. It sounds noble and brave, however, he rarely ever showed kindness or empathy towards Harry over the course of the series. Snape treated Harry terribly, and Snape's love for Lily was the only bit of 'redemption' he had, as well as sending Harry a Patronus. Despite his intentions, it is up to the interpretation of the audience to decide whether or not this makes up for years of torment. One seemingly heroic action does not make up past mistakes.

As for Draco Malfoy, of course, he was the 'bully' character of the Harry Potter series. Over the course of the books, he is portrayed as a mean brat who only wants to mess with Harry and his friends. Like Snape, it isn't until the very end where he shows signs of being anything but a brat. The audience starts to see a side of him that is very cowardly and afraid, and many think that he shows empathy when he is meant to kill Dumbledore. Others believe that this is just plain fear instead of empathy. Nothing he did over the course of the seven books, especially towards the end, could be pinpointed as heroic. He constantly struggles with his conscience and what ideals were forced upon him by his family and the Death Eaters, but we never see a true change.

So please, for the love of God, stop romanticizing Draco Malfoy.

Darth Vader, Star Wars

One of the most well-known-- as well as controversial-- redemption arcs is that of Darth Vader. It is important to remember that, of course, like every other villain, he didn't start out evil--- it was a result of something that happened over time. We are meant to think it's tragic that Anakin Skywalker, a Clone Wars hero and Jedi Knight, was manipulated and turned to the Dark Side-- and that's because it is. But like Severus Snape and Draco, one heroic action cannot make up for past mistakes. He is responsible for the deaths of many children and Jedi, and it isn't until the very end that his final act is good. He might have killed the emperor and saved his son, in turn sacrificing his own life, but his 'redemption' is too late. He already was accountable for so many lives, so doing one right thing cannot make up for it. Yet, it is debatable amongst fans whether or not he was redeemed, because as many fans claim, it's 'never too late to do the right thing'.

Beast, Beauty and The Beast

Of course, it wouldn't be me unless I talked about something Beauty and the Beast related. At the beginning of the story, the Beast is an isolated, selfish, arrogant prince who treats his staff with little respect. His heart is as cold as ice and he cares for nobody, which reflects heavily in the curse placed upon him. The Beast does not care when he captures Maurice, and **likely** has nothing but ill intent until he meets Belle, and the gears in his head start to turn. He offers Belle a chance to trade places with her father, knowing that this was a chance to have a girl fall in love with him and break the curse. He has nothing but selfish intention in mind when locking her up without saying goodbye to her father, and as far as we could tell the Beast has no redeemable qualities. He is rude, conceited, and not to mention a slob. Over the course of time, though, we see his character start to change. The first sign of change is when he saves her from a pack of wolves, hurting himself in the process. Granted, he has some setbacks, but ultimately admits to Lumiere and Cogsworth that he wants to do things to make her happy. Overtime he changes and becomes kinder, and does stuff with her that she likes. It is a process that ends with him eventually setting her free-- what he thinks is a final act to not only show his love, but that he changed. Like Mr. Darcy, the love of someone else sent him into self reflection over the course of a couple of months. By the end of the movie he is a completely changed (mentally and physically) person than he was from the start. He and Belle do live happily ever after--- which would not have occurred at all if not for his redemption arc.

What are your thoughts on this? Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments!