History Main / GrewASpine

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Shinji tries to be more self-assertive and confident throughout the series. It backfires horribly until the very end, where his determination to live no matter how much life sucks finally lets him [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn a happy ending]].

* This is Tris's character arc in ''Divergent'', as she's initiated into a community of brave and reckless adrenaline junkies.

* ''EllaEnchanted'' is a concrete-metaphor version of this, where the protagonist has been magically compelled to be a pushover.

* This is a big part of Raven's character development in ''[[Film/XMen X-Men: First Class]]''. [[spoiler: The downside is she joins the wrong side in doing so, foresaking the only family she's ever known.]]

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* Tavros Nitram, from Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}, finally stands up to Vriska and actually goes to fight her when he learns [[spoiler:she created Bec Noir. Too bad it gets him killed.]]

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* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]] does this after assertive training under the minotaur Iron Will. [[TookALevelInJerkass She takes it a little too far]] [[GoneHorriblyRight for a while, though]].

* Yukiteru of ''MiraiNikki''.

* This is a big part of Raven's character development in ''[[Film/XMen X-Men: First Class]]''.

Bob may have opinions, but he doesn't act on them if someone disagrees. Instead, he will follow their instructions or advice. This someone might be anyone, a single person that he is dependant on, or the prevailing attitudes in society. Then Bob starts to actually trust and act on his own judgment, and begins to go his own way. Bob earlier had no independent judgment in relation to some external factor, and this is the growth and expression of his own judgment: he's growing a spine.

* Tavros Nitram, from {{Homestuck}}, finally stands up to Vriska and actually goes to fight her when he learns [[spoiler:she created Bec Noir. Too bad it gets him killed.]]

* Edd of ''EdEddNEddy'' had a few moments of this, notably in "The Day The Ed Stood Still" when he scolds Edzilla ([[spoiler:who is Ed in a monster costume]]) for [[spoiler:kidnapping the kids and sticking them onto his wall.]]

GrewASpine is normally a big part of a ComingOfAgeStory, and can be assumed to be included as part of that. Please only include such examples if GrewASpine is the major part of the ComingOfAgeStory.

Some starting points for GrewASpine is ExtremeDoormat or ShrinkingViolet, but the character might just be inexperienced and unsure of themselves. After all, this is all part of growing up. May coincide with TookALevelInBadass or SuddenPrincipledStand. Has nothing to do with the evolution of vertebrate animals.

* William de Worde GrewASpine relative his father in ''Discworld/TheTruth''. An example of the ComingOfAgeStory variant.

* NeonGenesisEvangelion: Shinji tries to be more self-assertive and confident throughout the series. It backfires horribly until the very end, where his determination to live no matter how much life sucks finally lets him [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn a happy ending]].

* [[TheBaxter C.C. Baxter]] [[spoiler: refuses to loan Sheldrake his apartment for affairs any more, even though it costs him his job]] in TheApartment.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]] does this after assertive training under the minotaur Iron Will. [[TookALevelInJerkass She takes it a little too far]] [[GoneHorriblyRight for a while, though]].

* Near the end of ''SchoolOfRock'', Ned the perpetual pushover is getting chewed out by his girlfriend for this trait of his. Right when she asks if he's ever going to get around to standing up for himself, he interrupts her by heading off to the concert that she didn't want him to go to. Many of the kids also grow spines in a more gradual way, by learning to defy their overly strict parents.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[ShrinkingViolet Fluttershy]] does this after assertive training under the minotaur Iron Will. [[TookALevelInJerkass She takes it a too far]] but manages to reconcile her kindness with confidence by episode's end.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[ShrinkingViolent Fluttershy]] does this after assertive training under the minotaur Iron Will. [[TookALevelInJerkass She takes it a too far]] but manages to reconcile her kindness with confidence by episode's end.

* Edd of ''EdEddNEddy'' had a few moments of this, notably in "The Day The Ed Stood Still" when he scolds Edzilla ([[spoiler:who is Ed in a monster costume]]) for [[spoiler:kidnapping the kids and sticking them onto his wall.]]

Some starting points for GrewASpine is ExtremeDoormat or ShrinkingViolet, but the character might just be inexperienced and unsure of themselves. After all, this is all part of growing up. May coincide with TookALevelInBadass or SuddenPrincipledStand.

* In some interpretations, Adam and Eve eating the [[ForbiddenFruit fruit of knowledge]], making this OlderThanDirt.