History Main / AdaptationalAngstDowngrade

* ''Fanfic/ImNobody'': Thanks to Roxas giving the Organization the middle finger much earlier than he did in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358Over2Days'', he averts his, Xion and Axel's entire TraumaCongaLine, which includes a massive amount of PoorCommunicationKills, {{Poisonous Friend}}hips, CloningBlues and WhatMeasureIsNonHuman. Since none of that ever happens here and they're in a far healthier state of mind surrounded by positive influences instead of toxic ones, they're all far more well-adjusted as a result. This becomes visible in moments like Roxas' encounter with [=DiZ=] and his FantasticRacism spiel or the InternalReveal that he is Sora's Nobody, as he shuts down the former quickly and has no issues with the latter being secure in his own identity - a far cry from canon.

Contrast AdaptationalAngstUpgrade. May cause an AdaptationalPersonalityChange.

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' treats Barty Crouch, Jr. as simply a CardCarryingVillain, eliminating the book's implication that his cruel, uncaring father drove him to embrace Voldemort as a ParentalSubstitute. This is most clearly illustrated by the IHaveNoSon scene. In the book version, Barty Jr. is a frightened young lad in an obvious KangarooCourt that's mostly just an excuse for his father to angrily disown him in public. In the film, Barty Jr. is snarling in an ObviouslyEvil manner, and his father says the line in a shocked tone.

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' treats Barty Crouch, Jr. as simply a CardCarryingVillain, eliminating the book's implication that he joined Voldemort because he couldn't get any fatherly affection out of the cruel, uncaring Barty Sr. This is most clearly illustrated by the IHaveNoSon scene. In the book version, Barty Jr. is a frightened young lad in an obvious KangarooCourt that's mostly just an excuse for his father to angrily disown him in public. In the film, Barty Jr. is snarling in an ObviouslyEvil manner, and his father says the line in a shocked tone.

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' doesn't explain Barty Crouch, Jr.'s angsty backstory and instead portrays him as simply a CardCarryingVillain. This is most clearly illustrated by the IHaveNoSon scene. In the book version, Barty Jr. is a frightened young lad in an obvious KangarooCourt that's mostly just an excuse for his father to angrily disown him in public. In the film, Barty Jr. is snarling in an ObviouslyEvil manner, and his father says the line in a shocked tone.

** The film version of ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'' does this with the storyline about the trio losing a hundred and fifty house points. In the book, this is followed by them becoming despondent and hated by their classmates for throwing Gryffindor into last place overnight. The movie just skips directly from them losing the points to their detention, and after that, it's straight on to the climax.

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' doesn't explain Barty Crouch, Jr.'s angsty backstory and portrays him as a straightforward villain.

** In the first book, the time our heroes lose one hundred and fifty house points makes them despondent and hated by their classmates, but the movie just skips directly from them losing the points to their detention.

* There's a good deal of this in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films, mostly due to the obvious need for [[CompressedAdaptation compression]]. The angst experienced by side characters is particularly likely to be cut, of course, but even Harry has his angst downgraded at some points.

* ''Film/HarryPotter'':

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' greatly downplays Harry's angst about potentially being the Heir of Slytherin, although it gets a little more play in the film's {{Deleted Scene}}s, and the extended cut that reincorporates them. Also, the book version of Riddle's monologue makes it clear that Ginny was put through a great deal of angst as she gradually realized that she was behind the attacks. The film reduces this to a brief mention that, "the power of the diary began to scare her."

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' greatly downplays Harry's angst about potentially being the Heir of Slytherin, although it gets a little more play in the film's {{Deleted Scene}}s. Also, the book version of Riddle's monologue makes it clear that Ginny was put through a great deal of angst as she gradually realized that she was behind the attacks. The film reduces this to a brief mention that, "the power of the diary began to scare her."

** ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' greatly downplays Harry's angst about potentially being the Heir of Slytherin, although it gets a little more play in the film's {{Deleted Scene}}s.

** The second movie greatly downplays Harry's angst about potentially being the Heir of Slytherin, although it gets a little more play in the film's {{Deleted Scene}}s. The fourth movie doesn't explain Barty Crouch, Jr.'s angsty backstory and portrays him as a straightforward villain.

* In the film adaptation of ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'', Harry doesn't fly into frequent ALL CAPS rants of rage at his friends nor does he yell with Dumbledore during the final scenes as in the book; the movie instead portrays his inner struggle throughout the plot as one of bleak isolation because of his tribulations rather than angry frustration from feeling like he's treated with kid gloves too often. Likewise, the moment where he punches Draco for insulting his mother and his expulsion from Quidditch is removed.

* Ayumu in the J-drama adaptation of ''Manga/{{Life}}'' is presented as ever so slightly less depressed and troubled than in the manga, mostly due to them removing her SelfHarm habits. The live-action adaptation focuses more on her overcoming her hardships and dealing with her bullies.

* While Jake is still traumatised by the war in ''Fanfic/{{Eleutherophobia}}'', [[SparedByTheAdaptation Tom being alive]] gives him one less thing to angst about, and his relationship with his parents is less strained as a result. Tom also helps Tobias deal with his grief for Rachel.

** In ''Series/MiraiSentaiTimeranger'', [=TimeBlue=] was suffering from a terminal illness. The [[Series/PowerRangersTimeForce Time Force Blue Ranger]], Lucas, is perfectly healthy.

** In ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'', the Magirangers struggled with the seeming death of their mother for most of the series. Their ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'' counterparts did not as Udonna is not their mother ([[spoiler:at least for the rangers not named Nick]]) and rather than thinking she's dead, they know their mentor is alive but captured.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'': Optimus Prime is far friendlier and seemingly much happier than the pathetic, angst-ridden Optimus of [[ComicBook/TheTransformers the comics]] [[note]]Cartoon Optimus forged alliances with humanity, meaning by 2005 humanity has spaceships and colonies while in the comics, some Autobots actively refuse to serve under Comic Optimus because they're actually trying to help people while Optimus broods aboard the now spaceworthy Ark[[/note]]. At least part of this can be chalked up to how in the comics it's revealed that Optimus ''deliberately'' crashed the Ark onto Earth, meaning he's directly, actively responsible for bringing the Transformers' war to Earth. In the cartoon, meanwhile, the Ark crashed because the ship lost control when the Decepticons boarded and both sides were engaged in a desperate close quarters fight, and Optimus was seen trying to ''prevent'' a crash by steering the damaged ship as best he could.

* The ''Series/Titans2018'' version of Rose Wilson was completely changed. She has an overly complicated and tragic backstory in the DC comics, which involves a dead mother at only 10 years, being kidnapped by Slade's evil brother, joining and leaving different Titans teams for being TheFriendNobodyLikes, PTDS, being abused and gaslighted by her own father and still wanting his approval and love, and zigzagging between anti-villain and hero. In the show, her mother is alive and she has never lived most of the traumatic events that ruined her life in the comics. She is still manipulated by Slade into becoming his lackey, but is not as bad or tragic as in the comics.

* The ''Series/Titans2018'' version of Rose Wilson was completely changed. She has an overly complicated and tragicback story in the DC comics, which involves a dead mother at only 10 years, being kidnapped by Slade's evil brother, joining and leaving different Titans teams for being TheFriendNobodyLikes, PTDS, being abused and gaslighted by her own father and still wanting his approval and love, and zigzagging between anti-villain and hero. In the show, her mother is alive and she has never lived most of the traumatic events that ruined her life in the comics. She is still manipulated by Slade into becoming his lackey, but is not as bad or tragic as in the comics.

* This applies to pretty much everyone in ''Fanfic/{{Daemorphing}}''. The Chee give the Animorphs therapy, Tobias is less cut off from humanity and reunites with his mother much sooner, and Tom is saved halfway through.

* In the ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' game, Zhenji remains HappilyMarried to Cao Pi because Guo Nuwang, who is Cao Pi's favorite concubine and second wife, never appears in the game and the issue about her son, Cao Rui, being possibly the son of her first husband, Yuan Xi, was never discussed. In the historical records and the novel, ''Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', Cao Pi becomes more interested in Guo Nuwang, who plants doubt on him that Cao Rui is possibly Yuan Xi's son and not his. Because of this, Zhenji loses favor from Cao Pi and feels neglected. When she tried to bring her complaints to him, Cao Pi orders her to commit suicide.