History Main / HeelFaceDoorSlam

* In ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers'', Ultron harasses Hank Pym after surviving an encounter with the Lethal Legion. Hank gains the strength to tell off Ultron and the encounter causes Ultron to rethink things. He evolves out of his hatred of Hank and humanity and resolves to be the son Hank should have had. Sadly, the previous Ultron model had returned from the ComicBook/SecretWars and was so aghast at the thought of a ''human-loving Ultron'', that he ripped his head off and deleted all data on him.

'''[[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Warning]]:''' While Heel Face Door Slam does not always involve a [[DeathTropes character's death]], it often does, so here be Administrivia/{{Spoilers|Off}}.

'''[[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Warning]]:''' While Heel Face Door Slam does not always involve a [[DeathTropes character's death]], it often does, so here be {{Spoiler}}s.

* Wrestling/MollyHolly's career ended with a real-life one. After three years of playing a heel on TV, she had come to loathe the character and, in April 2005, pitched the idea of her doing a HeelFaceTurn. WWE's new Vice President of Talent Relations, Wrestling/JohnLaurinaitis, bluntly told her "It'll never work", which led to her asking for her release and retiring from the wrestling business. It should be pointed out that Laurinaitis rated women entirely on their looks and saw Molly (a real-life devout Christian who refused to be MsFanservice like many of the other Divas) as unmarketable.

* From ComicBook/XMen: The Blob was the oldest-running villain to lose his mutant powers during M-Day, but afterwards, the future was looking bright for him; he had become a fitness guru in Japan, and would be starring in an upcoming movie filmed in San Francisco made by Kingo Sunen. However, he has since resumed his villainous ways, having been given the Mutant Growth Hormones by Mystique, restoring his powers. Clearly, super-villainy was just too much of a temptation for him.

* ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'' tries ''really, really'' hard to be good. He does. Really. But it's just so much easier to kill people and he has no attention span and people are SO annoying and... That's not to say he's a {{Heel}}, but rather that despite all his attempts to be good, and all his actually good acts, he's still a nutcase killer-for-hire. It doesn't help that whenever he does something so good that he'd likely be recognized by the world for his heroics, there's typically either no one (reliable) around to witness it or some outside circumstance screws it up immediately afterward. This culminates in ''ComicBook/SecretEmpire'' [[spoiler:when Deadpool sides with HYDRA because Captain America Steve Rogers is there, slowly realizes he's made a mistake and makes the mistake of trying to help Maria Hill, who ends up dropping a parking deck on him. He escapes three days later, three days too late to make any difference as the heroes had saved the day by then.]]
* In Pre-Crisis ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' comics, after a particularly ignominious defeat, ComicBook/LexLuthor finally decides [[VillainousBreakdown he can't go on like this any more.]] He travels to Lexor, a planet where a single uncharacteristically good deed in his part years earlier had made him their national hero. There he settles down with the Lexorian woman he loves, has a child, uses his brilliance to help the Lexorian people, and genuinely tries to put his evil past behind him. Except... to his own chagrin, he realizes he ''can't.'' Part of it's that he can't get over his obsession with needing to defeat Superman, but more than that, he psychologically ''needs'' [[KickTheDog dogs to kick.]] With [[NeglectfulPrecursors ancient Lexorian tech,]] he builds a suit of PoweredArmor in ''ComicBook/ActionComics #544: Luthor Unleashed'', and uses it to become Lexor's first supervillain, the Mystery Marauder, for no other reason than to [[ForTheEvulz relieve his tensions by randomly destroying things.]] When Superman finally tracks Luthor down (ironically, one of Lex's old automatic systems had launched an attack on Metropolis without Lex even being there), Lex fights him using the armor. One of his blasts ricochets off Superman's invulnerable chest and strikes the Neutrarod, one of his inventions, ''destroying the entire planet, including his wife and son.'' Lex survives but vows to dedicate the rest of his life to a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against Superman.
** In [[ComicBook/SupermanBrianMichaelBendis Brian Bendis‘ run]], Mongul reacts to Superman revealing his identity to the world with shock and confusion as to why would he pretend to be one of the people he could’ve ruled over just like Mongul rules over his planet and begins to wonder if he himself could’ve chosen a different path… And is then immediately killed by his son, who proclaims himself the new ruler.
* ComicBook/ThePowerpuffGirls refuse to believe that Mojo Jojo has gone straight and opened his own restaurant ("Monkey Business," issue #67), in spite of the fact that everyone loves his cuisine. Twice, the girls cause an alarm that sends everyone for the exits and subsequently publicly apologizing for it. The third time, though, is enough for Mojo. He quits his restaurant and [[NiceJobBreakingItHero goes back to being a villain]].
* ComicBook/RedSkull once had the chance to at least die repentant. After being locked in a shelter in the middle of nowhere for days, starving and alone in the dark, he finally resigned himself to his fate and for the first and ''only'' time in his life, felt remorse for his evil deeds and privately conceded that he deserved this fate. But even this would be denied him, as was rescued shortly after, regained his will to live after seeing Captain America and remembering how much he hated him... well, he forgot everything he had considered down there, and after telling Cap as much, began ranting about how he would get revenge on Magneto.
* In ''[[ComicBook/TheMultiversity The Mastermen #1]]'', Overman attempts to right the wrongs of his making UsefulNotes/NaziGermany become [[CrapsaccharineWorld the new world]] by [[spoiler:lying about Human Bomb's physiological differences from most people]]. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:[[ComicBook/JimmyOlsen Jürgen Olsen]] figures out that he's not in favor of Hitler's vision and has sympathies with the Freedom Fighters, and thus betrays him, leading to Overman's downfall]].
* Sometimes used in ''ComicBook/ChickTracts'', where a character is considering accepting Christ but dies before being able to act on it and ending up in Hell. The idea is that one can not put off accepting Christ as death may happen at any point but in typical Chick fashion, it comes off somewhat {{Anvilicious}} or even paints God as a bit of a {{Jerkass}}.

* The original ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}} were villains disguised as heroes, who eventually decided to become good themselves. But it didn't work so well with Karla Sofen\Moonstone, as karma was bad, and her own sociopathy and greed couldn't be dropped.
* In ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers'', Ultron harasses Hank Pym after surviving an encounter with the Lethal Legion. Hank gains the strength to tell off Ultron and the encounter causes Ultron to rethink things. He evolves out of his hatred of Hank and humanity and resolves to be the son Hank should have had. Sadly, the previous Ultron model had returned from the ComicBook/SecretWars and was so aghast at the thought of a ''human-loving Ultron'', that he ripped his head off and deleted all data on him.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/BraveNewWorld'', after making it very clear that Oblivion's Shadow has completely and utterly lost, Mewtwo says that he could surrender, kill the Nihilators, and join Team Aurabolt to prevent the Ruler of Evil being released. Oblivion's Shadow considers this - and then the Ruler of Evil puts a stop to that.

* ''Anime/RingingBell'' has this happen to Chirin at the very end. He kills the Wolf, but the sheep throw him out. Chirin is left with nothing. This is one of the contributing factors to the tragedy of the story.

* In the climax of ''WesternAnimation/UglyDolls'', as Lou is thrown to the robotic dog, Moxy and the other dolls discuss what to do with him. Lou pleads for a second chance, only to be thrown in the washing machine by Nolan (whom Lou called "Ugly" in his song "The Ugly Truth").

* In Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/{{Saboteur}}'', Nazi spy Frank Fry seems to have a change of heart in the final scene when TheHero Barry Kane tries to pull him back to safety before he [[ItMakesSenseInContext falls off the Statute of Liberty]]; he begins to promise he'll confess to everything and clear Barry's name. Unfortunately, Barry's efforts go to waste and Fry plummets to his death mere seconds later.

* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'':
** The pivotal scene of [[GollumMadeMeDoIt Sméagol's]] near-repentance on the stairs was omitted from the film ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'' due to the director feeling it necessary to maintain that Sméagol had never been redeemable in the first place. This decision to elevate Gollum from antagonist to outright villain was challenged by the writers, so the scene was replaced with another climactic episode in which Frodo spares Gollum and Gollum almost repents, but Frodo then admits the purpose of the quest to Gollum, at which he snaps and attacks Frodo again.
** At the beginning of ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'' (in an extended scene), it looks like Wormtongue is about to accept Théoden's offer to leave Saruman and rejoin the heroes. Saruman responds by berating him and then strikes him across the face. Wormtongue is so upset by this that he stabs Saruman in the back and is shot down by Legolas, resulting in yet another point against diplomacy in Middle Earth.
* In ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead'', David has been a dick towards everyone (but especially Shaun) pretty much throughout the entire movie, largely due to his unrequited love for Shaun's girlfriend Liz. This culminates in David forcing Shaun to shoot his own mother (not without cause, since she was a ZombieInfectee, but his insensitive and smug way of handling it didn't help matters) and then trying to shoot Shaun himself. After being called out by his own girlfriend about his actions, David is on the cusp of sincerely apologising to Shaun for all he's done... when an army of zombies break through the window behind him, drag him out, tear him to pieces and eat him before he can actually say it. Ouch. There ''was'' an alternate version of the scene where he's killed just ''after'' he apologizes, but the creators decided it would be more shocking if he never got the chance.
* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'':
** ''Film/BatmanBegins'': Played straight when Joe Chill, who agrees to testify against Carmine Falcone in exchange for early parole, is assassinated by one of Falcone's goons immediately after the hearing.
** ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': Gordon's blunt dismissal of Maroni's [[EvenEvilHasStandards indignation]] at [[spoiler:the murder of Rachel Dawes by the Joker's minions]]. Subverted when Maroni goes ahead with ratting the clown anyway ("You want him, I can tell you where he'll be this afternoon") and later reveals to [[spoiler:Harvey Two-Face]] the name of the other traitor in Gordon's unit, then ultimately [[spoiler:left up in the air when Two-Face kills his driver]].

* In ''Film/TwilightZoneTheMovie'' Vic Morrow's racist character, who was on a Series/QuantumLeap-type trip inhabiting the bodies of various oppressed victims through time, is presumably on his way towards redemption; but [[RealLifeWritesThePlot real life writing the plot]] / FatalMethodActing [[note]]Morrow's character was supposed to be redeemed after risking himself to save two Vietnamese children in a rice paddy. It was during the filming of this scene where the freak accident occurred that claimed the lives of Vic Morrow and the two child actors, and the real footage of the accident still exists.[[/note]] caused his character to be sent to a concentration camp, whence he presumably never returned.
* In ''Film/AustinPowersInternationalManOfMystery'' (the first movie), Number 2 pulls a gun on Dr. Evil, decrying his old-fashioned villainy and pointing out how he made Virtucon disgustingly rich [[CutLexLuthorACheck through completely legal means]]. He starts to negotiate a surrender with Austin Powers, [[BrickJoke only to sit in the wrong chair]]… He returns in the next film, still on Dr. Evil's side and with just some slight burns on his face.
* The 1949 version of ''Film/{{The Great Gatsby|1949}}'' plays this to the hilt. In the climactic poolside scene, Gatsby tells Nick that he plans to turn himself in and take the rap for what he has (and hasn't) done, and go straight. The Door Slams him immediately afterward.
* The ending of ''Film/AmericanHistoryX'' involves a particularly memorable one; the day after Danny leaves the Neo-Nazi movement, he is killed because he pissed off a bully (who happened to be a minority) he had a feud with (and for further irony, was probably pressured into it the same way Danny was pressured into Nazism and then out again by his own BigBrotherMentor). Some alternative endings have this causing Derek to revert to Nazism, undoing all the CharacterDevelopment of the film.
* In ''Film/FourLions'' one of the protagonists panicked and no longer wanted to be a suicide bomber, so he tried to turn himself in to the police. While he was yelling about how his costume was filled with explosives but he wasn't going to blow himself up, [[spoiler:one of his friends blew him up to stop him giving the rest of them away.]]

* In ''Film/SixTheMarkUnleashed'', one of the carjackers who decides to turn himself in along with the smuggler takes [[MarkOfTheBeast The Holy Implant]] near the end of the movie and regrets his decision.
* Mental in ''Film/DumbAndDumber'', a kidnapper who stalks and plans to kill Harry and Lloyd after Lloyd swipes a briefcase full of [[spoiler:ransom money]]. He finally realizes that they're just a couple of idiots naively returning a briefcase to its rightful owner and ''not'' rival criminals - unfortunately, [[spoiler:they accidentally poison him immediately after he figures this out]].

* In ''Film/JurassicWorld'', just after the ''Indominus Rex'' has managed to persuade the raptors to her side, Owen spots Charlie in the brush. The raptor regards him for a moment, as if seriously contemplating whether going against her ParentalSubstitute was a good idea or not... and then she's blown to pieces by an [=InGen=] trooper armed with a rocket launcher.

* ''Film/HardcoreHenry'': Played literally and awesomely. [[spoiler:Estelle turns out to have been ''Akan's'' wife and had been emotionally manipulating Henry the whole time. After a short confrontation on her escape helicopter, she winds up hanging out of the door by her fingers, and she begs for Henry to "listen to his heart". After a brief moment, [[{{Fingore}} he slams the door down on her]] [[DisneyVillainDeath and she plummets to her death]].]]
* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': In the opening act, Thanos is moments away from some kind of reconciliation with his daughter Nebula when Thor unceremoniously decapitates him. [[KarmicDeath Not that]] [[KickTheSonOfABitch he didn't]] [[ItsPersonal have it coming.]]
* In ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'', the CrustyCaretaker, Torgo, decides he's had enough of being [[TheRenfield the cultists' whipping boy]] and announces his intent to help the family escape. Foolishly, he announces this ''to'' the cult's Master, who then hauls him off to be tortured before poor Torgo can put any of his plans into motion. He's able to escape, but that's the last we see of him, and he never gets a chance to come back and rescue the family.
* ''Film/{{Glass}}'': In one of the most brutal examples, just as Casey manages to reach out to Kevin and he finally has the Beast and his other personalities under control, [[spoiler: a sniper shoots him, and without the invulnerability of the [[SuperPoweredEvilSide Beast]], he takes the shot like a normal human and dies in minutes.]]

* Stephen King's ''Literature/{{It}}'' had Victor Criss, the only one of the three [[TheBully bullies]] who seemed redeemable. At one point he warns the Losers of Henry's deteriorating insanity, and later on he sincerely considers joining up with them instead. [[spoiler: Ultimately he goes with Henry [[VillainousFriendship out of loyalty]] and ends up killed by the eponymous monster.]]
* In Creator/AstridLindgren's KidDetective story series ''Literature/BillBergson'', a Swedish inventor and his preteen son are kidnapped by (ostensibly) Soviet agents. However, one of them soon starts to get qualms about having to take the son away as well, and even tries to help the kid detectives. He gets a bullet in the back for his troubles, but ends up in hospital and lives.

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'':
** Sméagol's literal [[HeelFaceTurn face turn]] on the stairs of Cirith Ungol. Sméagol's gentle touch of Frodo's knee is [[NiceJobBreakingItHero misinterpreted by Sam]] as an attack on his master (or molestation, as Sam's wording of it implies.) This marks the last point in the book where Sméagol had a chance at redemption...[[note]]But Frodo's "faith" in Gollum is rewarded when Gollum ends up destroying the Ring anyway, and Sam also makes up for his earlier mistake by sparing Gollum when he has a chance to kill him, which helps result in said destruction of the Ring.[[/note]]
** Wormtongue appears to have one of these in the penultimate chapter. You can sense that he really does want to leave Saruman, but as he's hesitating, Saruman mocks him. This drives him to kill Saruman, and then the hobbits kill him.
* In ''Literature/TheStand'', an especially ironic example is the story of Nadine Cross, who spent her whole life believing she had to save her virginity for [[DreamWeaver Randall Flagg]], who is revealed to be TheAntichrist; when she falls in love with good guy [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Larry Underwood]] she initially rebuffs his advances, then desperately asks him to sleep with her to remove the spell, after he has fallen in love with someone else. When [[FriendOrIdolDecision he refuses]], Nadine falls in with Flagg. Later this turns into DeathEqualsRedemption when, after [[spoiler:being impregnated by Flagg in his demon form and driven mad as a result]], Nadine [[spoiler:commits suicide by throwing herself and her devil-spawn off the balcony, pulling another thread in Flagg's already-unravelling control]].
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', according to WordOfGod, [[spoiler:Asmodean]] was genuinely trying to switch sides--if only for lack of options--when he was killed.
* Of the less lethal variety we have Zaknafein from the ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'' books, who realized the evil in his society but was unable to escape it or to fight against it and became resigned to being the least evil he could get away with.

* Jacen Solo from the ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' continuity is an Aversion - while he had realized that he'd made a number of mistakes, he had no intention of turning back. It's just that what he was trying to do at the time of his death was a good thing.

** ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' doesn't even let [[DirtyCoward Peter Pettigrew]] get close - he hesitates for a split second after Harry reminds him of how he saved [[IOweYouMyLife his life in the past]], and his EvilHand immediately strangles him to death.

* Creator/GlenCook wrote three short stories about a crew of pirates under a FlyingDutchman sort of curse. They realize in the second story that any of them who do something genuinely ''good'' can escape their eternal wandering, and the ship's captain sacrifices himself to destroy an even worse evil -- leaving the narrator as the new captain, wondering what ''he'' did wrong that he wasn't freed as well...
* The Literature/InDeath series: In ''Ceremony in Death'', one lawyer who happens to be a Satanic cult member gets evidence shoved into his face that one of his fellow cult members has been murdered. Later, he realizes that he's been having blackouts ever since he joined the cult...and that he witnessed that one cult member murdered in a sacrifice in one of those blackouts! He starts wonder what else happened in those blackouts. He ends up deciding that he can't defend the cult leader anymore and that he should tell Eve everything he knows...only to get murdered shortly after his decision. Now that's just harsh!

* Shel Silverstein wrote a poem about two generals who didn't want to fight, but go to the beach together. They discussed it, thought about what people would say, and killed each other.
* Cyric in the Avatar trilogy in the TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms world has a brief battle with himself about his betrayal of his friends.
* Theon Greyjoy in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' seriously considers joining the Night's Watch, partially because it would help him escape [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating the hundreds of people who want his head]], but also because it would give him a clean slate. Cue Ramsay Bolton and his men... [[spoiler: Subverted in that Theon gets a second chance to begin towards redemption, but only after being crippled mentally and physically.]]
--> '''Theon Greyjoy:''' A black cloak can't be turned. I'd be as good as any man...
* An interesting posthumous example happens in ''Literature/TheReader''. After Hanna passes away [[spoiler:having killed herself just before she was due to be released]], it's revealed that she'd amassed a huge amount of money over the years and she leaves a letter asking that the protagonist do with it whatever he feels is appropriate. He goes to the last surviving victim of Hanna's crimes, asking that maybe the money should be given to a Jewish charity... and she says no, because that would posthumously redeem Hanna, something which she refuses to do. [[spoiler:He gives the money to a charity to do with helping Jewish illiterate people become literate instead.]]
* At the end of ''ComicBook/WarlordOfMars'', the xenophobic Phaidor, who had long thought herself a living goddess who was above such petty things as morality and death, repents and apologizes to John Carter and Dejah Thoris for being such a jealous, psychotic bitch. She then resolves to start a new life... by diving off into a very deep crevice. She hadn't realized that the fall would almost certainly kill her. (An alternative and perhaps more likely explanation is that she knew very well it would kill her and was going for Death Equals Redemption.)
* ''Literature/{{Dinoverse}}'':
** In the first book, [[AlphaBitch Candayce]] lets go of some of her self-centered hostility and allows herself to care about people more. She has to ask help from someone she hurt badly. Janine closes her down harshly, saying it seemed like Candayce was actually concerned but it's really just because Candayce wanted something for herself. Within a few chapters they have a confrontation with DramaticThunder and it's all good, though.
** This trope is much stronger in the last two books, ''Dinosaurs Ate My Homework'' and ''Beverley Hills Brontosaurus''. [[TheBully JD Harms]], made less physically powerful, claims he's turned a new leaf in order to become the leader of a stranded group of kids. There are hints that he's BecomingTheMask, but he loves the respect he gets and destroys the way to get home, then has the one kid who didn't believe he'd changed exiled. Then JD has a genuine change of heart and finds out something crucial, but the kids have found out and all stonewall him, even refusing to listen when he talks.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** A tragic example in ''Literature/TheStolenThrone'', where Maric finds out that his lover Katriel is an assassin working for TheDragon [[EvilSorcerer Severan]]. However, while Katriel is originally supposed to kill Maric, she falls in love with him and reneges on her contract. Unfortunately, prior to that, she also leads LaResistance into an ambush that results in the [[TheEmpire Orlesians]] nearly wiping them out and killing Rowan's father, one of the leaders of the rebellion. Loghain convinces Maric that, being a king, he has no choice but to punish the traitor no matter his personal feelings. For her part, Katriel knows this is coming and still chooses to come to Maric. After a second's hesitation, Maric runs her through, though he feels dead inside.
** In the follow-up novel ''Literature/TheCalling'', Maric and a group of Grey Wardens are trapped by a LotusEaterMachine. Maric's dream is that of a happy life with Katriel. It's never made explicit if she was just a figment of his imagination or Katriel's spirit that has returned from the Fade to be with him. However, she does help him free the Wardens (those who choose to leave, anyway), implying the latter. Oh, and she doesn't appear to hold a grudge over him killing her.
* In ''Literature/TheDinosaurLords'', when [[spoiler:Bogardius]], who until then has been EvilAllAlong, realizes that [[spoiler:Raguel's]] presence means annihilation, he tries to oppose him, only for the latter to turn him into his [[PeoplePuppets puppet]].
* In ''Literature/TheTraitorSonCycle'', [[spoiler:Jean de Vrailly]] finally begins to understand that he's been tricked by his supposed ally and that perhaps what he's doing is [[HeelRealization not the right thing]]. Unfortunately for him, he can't really let go of the need to prove himself and it gets him killed.
* A close variant in ''Literature/TheFourHorsemenUniverse'' ShortStory "Angels and Aliens". Jim Hawkins, a Catholic chaplain, is held at gunpoint by a Tortantula and Flatar and reasons that, death being apparently inevitable, he'd rather spend his last moments praying. This confuses the LiteralMinded Tortantula, who is curious about this god of Jim's who came back from the dead. The Flatar is only interested in killing him, but merc Charlotte Wicza, Jim's bodyguard from whom he got separated when the paradrop went wrong, is faster and kills both aliens.

** In v4, there's minor player [[spoiler: Remy Kim]]. After leaving behind one person to die in a dangerzone after stabbing him and then also stabbing a battered girl, he runs into Sarah Tan, his friend from school, and has a HeelRealization. He vows to protect her, and it ''looks'' like she might be a MoralityPet - type figure... but not only is she angry at him for his actions, but he promptly gets [[BoomHeadShot headshotted]] [[KilledMidSentence midsentence]] by [[spoiler: Ericka Bradley]]. Damn.

* In Shakespeare's ''Theatre/KingLear'', the villain Edmund, upon realizing he is mortally wounded, wants to do one good thing before he dies by rescuing people who he's ordered to be executed. He's too late.
* In the opera ''Susannah,'' Olin Blitch, the traveling evangelical preacher, forces the protagonist (who is not on good terms with the rest of the town) to have sex with him. Overcome with remorse, he tries to convince the people that she's not a bad person. They don't listen. He begs Susannah to forgive him, she doesn't. Then her brother kills him.

* In ''Theatre/{{Urinetown}}'', Senator Fipp and Mrs. Millenium, realizing just how evil their boss Caldwell B. Cladwell has become, decide to leave him and run off to Rio together. At that moment, [[DesignatedHero the blood-hungry rebel poor]], on their way to the UGC headquarters to confront Cladwell, brutally kill them.
* In Rimsky-Korsakov's ''The Tsar's Bride'', Gryaznoy does it more or less himself in the end, not that there was an option. He schemes to slip a love potion into Marfa's drink, which leads his own WomanScorned (whom he has treated terribly) substituting poison for it instead. When Marfa becomes ill, Gryaznoy blames her fiancé on poisoning her and executes him. And then he learns that it was him who accidentally poisoned the girl. He is overcome with remorse, but it's too late: Marfa dies in his arms, and he gives himself up for execution.

* A minor example in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'': Javert agrees to let Valjean take [[spoiler:Marius]] to a doctor to save the latter's life, despite Javert's constant promises to arrest Valjean at the earliest opportunity. This shakes Javert's worldview to its core - how can a man he thought of as a criminal be helping an innocent boy to safety? - and he eventually [[spoiler:kills himself]] because of it. At the end of the show, all the [[spoiler:dead characters appear in heaven alongside Valjean]] ... except for Javert, who is nowhere to be seen. Especially impactful considering how fervently religious and certain he would [[spoiler:get into heaven]] Javert was.
* ''Theatre/{{Ebenezer}}'' has this happen with Jacob Marley's death. Terrified of the evil he's done and of dying alone, he begs for mercy and says there's still time for him to be good, but it's too late and he's dragged down to be punished.

* In ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'', I.M.P is sent to kill Lyle Lipton, an already suicidal old man and famous inventor whose life-changing inventions were paved (sometimes literally) on the backs and bodies of the poor and unwanted, including orphan children, and find that C.H.E.R.U.B is there because the people in Heaven whose lives were bettered by his inventions want him to live to the end of his life and find redemption. The two groups fight over breaking Lyle's spirit so he goes through with it and raising it so he changes his mind, until the very end when Lyle realizes that these two otherwordly forces openly fighting for him means there must be ''some'' good he can do with the rest of his life... right before a stray arrow [[NiceJobBreakingItHero one of the CHERUB members fired]] knocks a Piano on him, whereupon his misdeeds in life sends him right to hell... [[AHellOfATime not that he minds, since he's back with his partner]] and able to keep inventing with [[IgnoredEpiphany even LESS scruples]].

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'':
** [[spoiler:Vriska Serket]] began to regret the endless wave of pain and misery caused by her actions after killing a friend, and began opening up to John and expressing that all she wanted was to leave it all behind and take a few cues from mankind on how to live, but before all that wanted to confront [[BigBad Jack]] [[PhysicalGod Noir]] to try and save her friends. Then Terezi killed her to prevent the doomed future that would've come from her attempt to fight Jack. An interesting and less-than-completely-arbitrary example, actually, because she didn't die due to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim bridge drop]], but because she tried to make a HeelFaceTurn without overcoming her TragicFlaw first - she was killed because she changed from Dooming-Us-All Evil to Dooming-Us-All Good.
** When [[spoiler:Jade]] was knocked unconscious after failing to disrupt Jake's hope bubble, she snapped out of her grimbark mode and, presumably, the Condesce's mind control. Then Aranea promptly dropped a house on her and [[KilledOffForReal rigged the God Tier clock to register it as a just (and thereby permanent-ish) death]].
* The plot of ''Webcomic/DarwinCarmichaelIsGoingToHell'' can be summarized as "futilely banging on the door." Darwin only made one mistake, but the [[CallItKarma laws of the universe]] aren't letting him make up for it, since the incredibly bad luck he's been cursed with applies even when he's trying to help other people.
* Seymour attempts to do this to Fuschia in the "Bad Behaviour" strips of ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}''. If not for Criminy, it would have worked. Is a major reason why he has a Hatedom.
* Played for laughs in ''Webcomic/ServantsOfTheImperium'' [[http://www.servantsoftheimperium.com/comic.php?comicid=34 #34]]. A pair of dark eldar decide they don't like being evil torture-loving psychopaths and that they want to leave. Next panel the heroes machine-gun them.
-->'''Brianna:''' I don't know what they were talking about, but I bet it was evil.
%%* Webcomic/TriggerStar has [[http://www.triggerstar.com/index.php?strip_id=68 this.]]

* In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJTCYdZTj2A Star Wars: Retold]]", the uploader asks his friend to tell him what she knows of the plot. Once she gets up to ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Amanda says that Lando betrays the heroes, "feels bad about it," then dies(apparently from being stabbed by an Ewok) "feeling bad about it."

* ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'': In a season one flashback that made Sarah Lynn around 7ys/o, she asked [=BoJack=] where he went to college and expressed that she wanted to be an architect when she grew up. Flash forward to season three episode "That's Too Much, Man!" – throughout her month-long bender with [=BoJack=], she gradually starts realizing how much she hates fame and what it's made her. She wonders how allowing children to act is even legal, equating it to child labor ("I didn't know what I was signing up for. I was three.") She expresses how nothing she does it /her/ right after winning an Oscar. [=BoJack=] takes her to the planetarium to calm her down, as she'd been suggesting they do the entire time, and she clues him in that it's not actually the trippy visuals that make planetariums interesting to her – it's the domed design. [[spoiler: She dies in [=BoJack=]'s arms, her last words:]]

* After the WesternAnimation/EvilConCarne organization went out business, Scarr just wanted to retire to a quiet house in the suburbs, where he could relax and [[CallToAgriculture do some gardening.]] Unfortunately, he moved right next to [[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy Grim, Billy, and Mandy]], making his new leaf ''very'' hard to keep.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', Terra makes a FaceHeelTurn and joins Slade, becoming TheMole to the Titans. However, due to getting close to the Titans, she ends up regretting her actions, but doesn't dare to fully betray Slade. She just tries to spare Beast Boy, taking him on a date while Slade's army infiltrate the Titan Tower. Slade tracks Terra and Beast Boy down, revealing the truth to Beast Boy. An apologetic Terra breaks down sobbing, saying she's sorry and pleads with Beast Boy to forgive her, reminding him he said they'll be friends no matter what. [[RejectedApology An angry Beast Boy responds with "Slade's right. You don't HAVE any friends."]] As a result, [[ThenLetMeBeEvil Terra fully embraces being Slade's apprentice and becomes truly]] ''[[ThenLetMeBeEvil evil]]'', and Beast Boy [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ends up kicking himself over slamming the door in her face earlier.]] In the end, however, Terra makes a HeelFaceTurn after all...[[HeroicSacrifice but with a cost.]]

* Boingo in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' is one of the weakest Stand Users in the BigBad's group, a [[ShrinkingViolet very shy boy]] whose comic [[{{Seers}} tells the future]]. After both his brother Oingo and Hol Horse get screwed over by one ProphecyTwist after another without even phasing [[TheHero Jotaro]], Boingo figures he'll have better luck using his power to help people and resolves to be more outgoing. Then he accidentally hits [[BewareOfViciousDog Iggy]], who mauls him and makes him even more insecure than before. Going by an illustration later on in [[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Part 6]] however, he does ''eventually'' turn over a new leaf and uses his abilities for more benign purposes, just much longer after the fact.

* ''Manhua/FengShenJi'' loves doing this to its villains:
** Gui Mu, the Great God of the Plague Affiliation, was a murderous asshole for most of the plot who reveled in bringing people suffering. After the first defeat of the gods, however, he has a revelation and decides to devote himself to helping humanity by building his godson, the only person he ever loved, into a good ruler. Unfortunately, his godson betrays him and locks him up simply because Gui Mu is no longer useful to him.
** Similarly, Bai Lian, Sage King and former Great God of the Plague Affiliation, murdered many people purely to torment the main character. After their final fight, Bai Lian has a revelation and realizes that he should reform his ways; before he can even say anything, however, the main character immediately kills him.

* In this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0rAcWQuloA fan-animation]] of Sans' fake surrender in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', it's made quite clear that Frisk genuinely regrets their actions and wants to stop fighting. Sans kills Frisk anyway.

* In ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead'', David has been a dick towards everyone (but especially Shaun) pretty much throughout the entire movie, largely due to his unrequited love for Shaun's girlfriend Liz. This culminates in David forcing Shaun to shoot his own mother (not without cause, since she was a ZombieInfectee), but his insensitive and smug way of handling it didn't help matters) and then trying to shoot Shaun himself. After being called out by his own girlfriend about his actions, David is on the cusp of sincerely apologising to Shaun for all he's done... when an army of zombies break through the window behind him, drag him out, tear him to pieces and eat him before he can actually say it. Ouch. There ''was'' an alternate version of the scene where he's killed just ''after'' he apologizes, but the creators decided it would be more shocking if he never got the chance.

* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersIDW'': The cop who holds Bumblebee at gunpoint appears to be affected by the speech that Bee gives and may have had a HeelRealization. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a chance to lay down his arms, as Jazz blasts the officer into ash without knowing the full story, much to Bumbleebee's horror.

!!Examples:

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': [[spoiler: Missy, aka The Master]] has this happen in [[spoiler: "The Doctor Falls"]], at hand of, ironically, [[spoiler: his/her own past incarnation "Saxon", when she decided to stand with the Twelfth Doctor in his hopeless battle with an army of Cybermen, and complete a HeelFaceTurn she'd been working toward all season]]. Apparently [[spoiler: the old Master]] considered making a HeelFaceTurn a FateWorseThanDeath.
** "The Lumiat", an installment of the ''Missy'' audio series by Creator/BigFinish, double subverts this. As it turns out, [[spoiler:Missy cheated death thanks to a secret gadget, regenerating into a new incarnation who calls herself the Lumiat. Inheriting Missy's turn, the Lumiat strives to become a force for good like the Doctor only to run afoul of a younger Missy, who mortally wounds the Lumiat, believing that the change in morality will not stick. Sure enough, the Lumiat regenerates into who WordOfGod confirms is the "O"/"Spy" Master, the Thirteenth Doctor's ArchEnemy and one of the most unhinged and murderous Masters yet, taking the renegade Time Lord firmly back to square one.
* In ''Series/BabylonFive'', Londo temporarily walks away from his dealings with Morden, until his lover is murdered and he asks Morden for help in getting revenge. [[spoiler: In fact, [[ManipulativeBastard Morden was behind the murder, in order to manipulate Londo into doing just that.]]]] When Londo learns the truth, he becomes TheAtoner, but gets the door slammed on his face again and again. Eventually, he plans a [[spoiler:ThanatosGambit]] with the only people who still believe in him: [[MoralityChain Vir Cotto]] and [[FireForgedFriends G'Kar]].
** Previously, the Centauri people as a whole had one when the aging Emperor visited the station with the intention of publicly apologizing to the Narn for the years of subjugation. He died before he was able to do so, and while his message gave G'kar a brief moment of hope, it was squashed when Londo has his Shadow allies attack a Narn base in order to get their candidate for Emperor on the throne.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** Believing he has caught a break from the universe deservedly shitting on him, Theon confesses and laments the wrongs he committed during the previous season, setting him up for possible redemption, only for the entire escape to be revealed as a sham and the torture to be intensified.
** In the fourth season finale, Sandor does truly act to selflessly protect Arya, taking on a strong foe, believing she's tied to the Lannisters. This gets him badly wounded and abandoned by Arya.
* ''Series/GetSmart'': Two episodes ([[spoiler: "Hoo Done It"]] and [[spoiler: "Bronzefinger"]]) have multiple kooky but affable murdered guest characters be [=KAOS=] agents who were trying to defect.
* ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'':
** There was an early episode where Xena, after encountering some of her former warriors back from her days as a BloodKnight, convinces one of them that her commitment to reform is genuine. Later on in the episode, that guy sacrifices his life to save her. Fast forward to a different episode, where Xena is asked by Hades himself to go to the underworld, because evil has achieved a Karma Inversion: all the blessed people who used to play in the Elysium Fields have been sent to Tartarus, and all the evil folks condemned to Tartarus are partying in Elysium. When she gets there, she finds her dead friend, and realizes that if he's in Elysium ''now'', he must have been in Tartarus before. He confirms it, saying something like "One sacrifice wasn't enough to make up for a lifetime of evil." In the end however, he's allowed to stay in Elysium for good after helping save Hades.
** In a flashback to Xena's BloodKnight days, she and her lover Barius plan to wipe out the Centaur race. Barius has a crisis of conscience and sabotages their plans, for which he is forever hailed as a savior by the Centaurs, but is murdered by one of Xena's lieutenants.
* Boomer of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', who [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor switched sides more time than this entry will try to document]], finally got the door slammed on her as the series approached the end. After [[spoiler:faking a HeelFaceTurn]] and returning [[spoiler:Ellen]] to the fleet, she [[spoiler:steals Hera and returns to the Cylons. However, Boomer and Hera bond and she feels immense regret for what she's done, so she takes Hera and returns her to Athena, her real mother. Athena, sick of Boomer's bullshit, shoots her. At least Boomer was savvy enough to realize returning Hera was going to be the last thing she does]].
* ''Franchise/{{Buffyverse}}'':
** Jonathan was the least evil of the Nerd Trio, and was not only willing to go to jail to pay for his crimes, but drag Andrew along with him. He only decided to flee to Mexico when Dark Willow attacked. He returned in Season Seven with vaguely benevolent intentions, but was killed by Andrew (who was under the influence of the [[BigBad First]] [[UltimateEvil Evil]]) before he could make contact with Buffy.
** A ''literal'' Heel Face Door Slam happened to Spike. Originally a villain, he became a [[EnemyMine reluctant ally]] of the good guys in Season 4, and in Season 5, having fallen in love with Buffy, he tried acting more heroic in order to impress her. However, when Spike expresses his love by kidnapping Buffy and chaining her up in his crypt, she has Willow cast a spell that makes it impossible for Spike to enter Buffy's home. He's initially surprised, then emotionally devastated, when he runs into the invisible barrier surrounding her house and Buffy slams the door in his face. This is slowly subverted, but it takes a lot more heroic actions on his part - a refusal to tell [[BigBad Glory]] that Buffy's sister was the LivingMacGuffin she was looking for, under torture and at risk of death, earns him a measure of Buffy's forgiveness, but he's not able to truly throw off being a {{Heel}} until he's done a lot more good as well.
** Also, Faith. An ally of Buffy, [[spoiler: she [[FaceHeelTurn defected to the other side]]]]. Later, she interrupted [[spoiler: a captive Willow, expecting Willow to start begging her and trying to convince her that it's not too late. Instead, Willow tells her that yes, ''it is'' too late, and that Faith won't have any more chances for redemption.]] Don't worry, she eventually [[spoiler: got her RedemptionInTheRain, thanks to Angel. Willow even takes back her sentiments and helps Faith along in being good later]].
** Faith's initial turn to the dark side came when she performed an (unwitting) Heel Face Door Slam on a minor character - the Deputy Mayor, more a 'snivelling lackey' than an actual Heel, tried to bring information on [[BigBad the Mayor's]] masterplan to her and Buffy, but he surprised them mid-fight and Faith staked him on instinct. The downward spiral this sends her on ends with her becoming the Mayor's Dragon.
** Harmony seemed to have gotten nicer during the days leading up to high school graduation. Then, she got turned into a vamp. Seemed to be getting better in LA, particularly after getting hired on to Wolfram & Hart and Spike returned. Then, she betrayed Angel.
** Lindsey from Angel’s spin-off series gets one of these when he tries to leave Wolfram & Hart. Angel first doesn't trust him, then doesn't care, and when he finally does agree to help Lindsey bring down the company, he winds up leaving him behind to get caught. While somewhat understandable, this still probably contributed to Lindsey's decision to stay. Later, when Lindsey [[spoiler: tried to join the team in the series finale, Angel had Lorne kill him. Interestingly, Lindsey knew this was coming and was only upset that he was killed by "a lackey"]].
-->[[spoiler: '''Lorne''']]: You're not part of the solution, [[spoiler: Lindsey]]. You never ''will'' be.
** Lilah, second-most recurring antagonist to Angel after Lindsey, [[spoiler:has the first glimpse of possible good in her shown during Season 3, when she shoots [[HeManWomanHater Billy Blim]] to save Cordelia’s life. (Though the episode leaves it ambiguous whether the act was truly motivated by selflessness or just revenge for Billy brutalizing her earlier in the episode). The possibility picks up steam in Season 4, when [[DiskOneFinalBoss The Beast]] destroys Wolfram & Hart and leaves Lilah as the sole survivor, forcing her to form an EnemyMine with Team Angel for survival. At this time she also had a DatingCatwoman situation with Wesley and a reveal that [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas she was working for Wolfram & Hart to provide for her sick mother]]. All of this together was beginning to make her a much more sympathetic character than she ever was before. Unfortunately, [[TheWomanBehindTheMan Jasmine]] shows up to kill Lilah before she could consider a true HeelFaceTurn, despite the show suggesting that she may have been beginning to head in that direction.]]
* In ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'', Shawn's absentee con-artist father, Chet, constantly bounces in and out of his life, staying long enough to get his son's hopes up about having his father back, before leaving him with a rotating collection of father figures like Mr. Feeny, Mr. Turner, and Alan. In his last return, Shawn finally stands up for himself in the face of Chet's shabby treatment. Chet suffers a heart attack shortly after, and he and Shawn begin to reconnect while he's in the hospital and Chet appears to resolve to stay and be a real father to Shawn... shortly before suffering a second heart attack and dying.
* On ''Series/TheWire'', while the heel/face lines are often very blurry to begin with, basically any time a character involved in organized crime decides to become an informant, they inevitably die. The most prominent example is probably Bodie Broadus, who spends the first three seasons of the show steadily rising the ranks of the Barksdale drug empire, only for that empire to crumble for good at the end of the third season, leaving him on his own as [[TheSociopath Marlo Stanfield's]] far more brutal and violent regime takes over. Bodie chafes at this change and by the end of the fourth season he's convinced to inform on Marlo and company. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome He's killed before he can ever actually go through with it]], [[LastStand although he goes out fighting until the end]].
* In an episode of ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', Orson's Ex-Wife Alma, who, up until then had been colluding with Orson's Mother to kill Bree, ends up falling off a roof and killing herself while trying to warn Danielle.
* Maury Parkman in season 3 of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' gets his neck snapped by Arthur Petrelli when he realizes Arthur's evilness and rebels to try to protect his son, Matt.
* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
** An interesting case in ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue''. Diabolico, after discovering how little his mistress Queen Bansheera cared for her minions, even destroying one of them in an attempt to get the Rangers, vowed to never serve her again. However, he was brainwashed and forced to fight the Rangers. Despite knowing that he wanted to change, the Rangers had no choice but to destroy him. However, in the finale, he gets another chance at HeelFaceTurn by returning as a spirit and helping the Rangers imprison Bansheera in the demon dimension forever. (It should be noted, however, that at no point did Diabolico indicate that he was actually turning ''good,'' he was just turning against the Queen. He himself put it that he'd come to hate the queen more than them.)
** Frax's fate in ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' was even worse. He realizes the error of his FaceHeelTurn ways... just as he's being dragged off to have his humanity and memories wiped by Ransik. [[spoiler:That's two for Ransik, given that he's the one that made Frax what he had turned into in the first place.]]
* In ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', Sally has trouble deciding whether to return to Basco after what he put her through. Basco shows no remorse when arguing with the Gokaigers, and Sally ultimately chooses the Gokaigers. Basco's reaction? Without thinking twice, no remorse, and ''actually laughing'' while at it, he activates a bomb he planted earlier on Sally in case this were to happen. Cue his line "To get something, you have to give something up."
* ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'' has this happen to Bennett. [[spoiler:She's made the choice to help the team at the LA Dollhouse, if only because Echo has promised to help her get all the revenge she wants on Caroline and she's in love with Topher. Then Saunders shoots Bennett in the head.]]
* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', every time Regina gets even ''close'' to redeeming herself the good guys shoot her down brutally, target her for a crime she hasn't committed, decide she's irredeemable, or threaten to [[BerserkButton take Henry]] [[MamaBear away from her]] permanently. There's generally a good reason why, or what ''seems'' like a good reason at the time, but at this point it's almost understandable that Regina seems to have given up her attempts to reform.
** The finale of season two begins to subvert this trope when, rather than having Regina perform a RedemptionEqualsDeath (which she even cites, wanting to [[DyingAsYourself die as Regina rather than being the Evil Queen]]) in order to save Storybrooke, Emma decides to TakeAThirdOption, saving the town without having Regina die (despite that this would get her out of their hair for good). This turns out to be the right choice, and she's finally on the - very, ''very'' slow and gradual - path of redemption.
* ''Franchise/KamenRider'':
** ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'':
*** Wakana Sonozaki from had planned on getting away from her megalomaniac father's plans and move out of the city with her friend/[[spoiler: brother]] Philip. Her dad [[BrainwashedAndCrazy had other ideas.]] After her father died and she was subsequently used as an ApocalypseMaiden by her father's ex-financers, her mind was so shattered that she was put under observation in a mental hospital. She finally gets her redemption by sacrificing herself so that [[spoiler: Philip/Raito]] can be brought BackFromTheDead.
*** Earlier in the series, Kirihiko Sonozaki's turn started when he met TheHero Shotaro and discovered they both loved Fuuto, and continued when [[HeelRealization realizing how his selling Gaia Memories was hurting the city]] when he saw a bunch of kids sharing the Bird Memory around and suffering drug-like effects. After helping Shotaro (as Double) defeat the Bird Dopant, he tried to convince his wife Saeko to leave the city with him. Too bad for him, [[TheDragon she wasn't too interested]].
** ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'': Ankh had been on a series wide HeelFaceTurn as he grew closer to Eiji and Hina. This actually happened to him ''twice''. The first time was when he was absorbed by his EvilCounterpart. Soon, after he {{Face Heel Turn}}ed, he considered [[FaceHeelRevolvingDoor going back]], but then [[spoiler: Dr. Maki mortally wounds him. He dies after helping Eiji destroy him.]]
** ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'': Even though it was mentioned several times that the chances of a Zodiarts finding redemption is slim, the show manages to contradict that statement. So far, [[spoiler:Perseus, Musca, Aquarius and Taurus (the last two are high-level Horoscopes, even)]] have become good by the end of their arc...however, [[spoiler:only Musca]] was able to get out of it unscathed. [[spoiler:Libra brainwashes Perseus to fight Fourze, Aquarius gets LaserGuidedAmnesia, and Taurus is [[AndIMustScream sent to the Dark Nebula]] for trying to defy [[TheDragon Virgo]].]]
* On ''Series/{{Lost}}'', we have [[spoiler:Charles Widmore]]. When he shows up claiming to have redeemed himself in season six, we aren't quite sure if he's legit or not. When we finally realize that he ''is'', he is [[spoiler:promptly shot and killed by Ben, though that's more because he didn't want Widmore to have a chance to save his daughter when Ben didn't get a chance to save his]].
* In ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'', just as it seems that Zedd has talked Denna into changing her ways and setting him free, she is shot in the back with an arrow by Cara and falls off a cliff.
* [[spoiler: Morgana]] in ''Series/Merlin2008'' has two. At the end of the second season she is unknowingly the source of an enchantment that has put everyone in Camelot to sleep. The only way to break the enchantment is to kill the source - so Merlin poisons her. Throughout that season she had been teetering between good and evil but this act of betrayal acts as a catalyst. So when she returns a year later, [[spoiler: her half sister Morgause]] has corrupted her completely. Then in a season 3 episode she discovers that she is [[spoiler: Uther's daughter]]. When he refuses to acknowledge her, it's a pretty definitive door slam.
* ''Series/Charmed1998'':
** This happens to Cole in the fourth season. He finds a wizard willing to take the Source's powers, thus freeing him from being possessed but Phoebe appears on the scene and kills the wizard before he can take the powers. Cole is killed in the next episode. Then when he returns in Series 5, having [[EscapedFromHell broken out of the Demonic Wasteland]], he's promptly declared evil by the sisters for his actions whilst being the Source, despite being [[DemonicPossession possessed]] at the time. [[ReformedButRejected This rejection]], coupled by Phoebe's repeated threats to kill him for even the slighest infractions, causes him eventually to [[AxCrazy lose his mind]] and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil turn evil again]]. He's then killed... again.
** Kira the Seer was a particularly tragic case as she was a demon who wanted to become human. Unfortunately, just before the ritual could be performed, she was destroyed by Zankou. Phoebe, the one she was closest to, took it the hardest.
* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': During Rick and Shane's confrontation in the field, [[spoiler: Rick tries to convince Shane into putting down their guns and going back to being friends again. Rick used this opportunity to get close enough to kill Shane with his knife.]]
* In ''Series/TwentyFour'', if you're a bad guy and you decide to switch sides for whatever reason, your odds of dying go way up.
** [[spoiler: Farhad Hassan]] is shot in the back in the episode after he decides to help CTU.
** [[spoiler:Dina Araz]] is given orders to execute Jack but refuses, which results in her getting executed.
** [[spoiler:Josef Bazhaev]] is shot SECONDS after agreeing to turn himself in.
** Terrorist mastermind [[spoiler:Hamri al-Assad]]. He decides to forsake terrorism and work with the US government to capture his former lieutenant. Six hours later, he's killed in an assassination attempt on the president. Made by disgruntled members of the US government no less, and then he gets blamed for it. Made worse by the fact that Jack was forced to kill [[spoiler:Curtis Manning to bring al-Assadin]], which means that that happened for nothing.
* The ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Repentance" does this with a murderer on death row. After he's beaten by his prison guards, The Doctor injects him with some of Seven of Nine's nanoprobes to save his life--and in doing so, inadvertently repairs a brain defect that turned him into a sociopath. After proving himself reformed by saving the life of one of the guards who had beaten him, he (at the urging of the ''Voyager'' crew) appeals his death sentence to the family of his victim, since the law gives them the right to choose his sentence. [[DownerEnding The appeal fails, and he is sent to his death.]]
* Towards the middle of season 3 of ''Series/HaltAndCatchFire'', Cameron seems to have an epiphany about how self-destructive she's been, after her bratty behavior leaves her stranded in the middle of Texas for a week, and she starts making attempts to change, marrying Tom, returning to Los Angeles and trying to explain her behavior to Donna, and calling Diane to inform her that she will try to work with the two guys that she thinks Diane is forcing her to hire as a condition for her firm's investment. Unfortunately, during the conversation with Diane, Cameron learns that Diane was actually going to give her full discretion on hiring. Cameron realizes that Donna manipulated her, and takes this as a justification to turn back into a ControlFreak.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** In season 7, Castiel realizes what he's become under the influence of the Purgatory souls (and that they will tear him apart) and willingly gives them up and apologizes for what he's done. The others seem to accept this, but before Castiel can do anything else to redeem himself, he's killed by the Leviathan. [[spoiler: This being ''Supernatural'', [[SubvertedTrope he shows up again later in the season, amnesiac but completely fine.]] He does then have to do a bit of work to be fully forgiven by his friends, though.]]
** In season 12, the British Men of Letters come to America to " clean up" after the American hunters who have a policy of not killing monsters who aren't harming anyone. After being shown repeated situations in which the moral choice is to let the monster live, Mick Davies is won over to the side of the American hunters, so when the order is given to exterminate all American hunters for failure to meet the British Men of Letters standard, Mick defies the order and gives a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech making the audience think he's about to break off and join Team Free Will. However, his defiant speech is met with a BoomHeadshot.
* Mindy St. Claire from ''Series/TheGoodPlace'' was, by her own admission, a horrible person while alive. A stereotypical '80s AmoralAttorney who would screw over anyone, only looked out for herself and did as much cocaine as she possibly could. One night she did a ''lot'' of coke and had [[HigherUnderstandingThroughDrugs an epiphany]] about how she could fix all of the world's problems. The next day, after sobering up, she withdrew all of the money from her bank accounts and was about to go out and put her plan into action...which is when she fell onto subway tracks and was immediately electrocuted. After her death Mindy's sister found out what she was planning and used the money to follow through and set up the world's largest relief organisation.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' has a weird inversion towards the end of Season 3 where this happens to TheHero. [[TheHero Crichton]] agrees to help [[BigBad Scorpius]] create wormhole technology to secretly sabotage his wormhole project from the inside, but Scorpius manages to convince him that, as evil as Scorpius himself is, the Scarrans are even worse. Crichton is about to help Scorpius right up until Scorpius reveals he will attack Earth if Crichton tries to cross him, causing Crichton to decide to destroy the project after all.
* Happens to the Smoking Man, of all people, at the end of the ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "[[Recap/TheXFilesS04E07MusingsOfACigaretteSmokingMan Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man]]". He's so thrilled that a story he's written is finally going to be published after years of failure as an author that he's prepared to completely give up his position with the Consortium, even writing a resignation letter. He also seems to seriously consider quitting smoking. However, when the publication doesn't work out, he gives up on changing anything.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Nuwangi in the original ''VideoGame/{{Utawarerumono}}'' visual novel, where after being defeated he is set loose by Eruruu making him realize just how badly he had screwed up. This makes him vow to end the war… and is promptly killed by bandits for the reward they assume they'll receive. The anime just had him run off and disappear, leaving his ultimate fate ambiguous.
* If you defeat Darth Malak of ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' he may have some regrets to share with you as he lies dying, [[spoiler:"Still… still spouting the wisdom of the Jedi, I see. Maybe there is more truth in their code than I ever believed. I... I cannot help but wonder, Revan. What would have happened had our positions been reversed? What if fate had decreed I would be captured by the Jedi? Could I have returned to the light, as you did? If you had not led me down the dark path in the first place, what destiny would I have found?"]]
** The player is given a chance to throw that back in his face, however: [[spoiler: essentially saying something along the lines of, "I turned back to the Light, you could have as well. You chose your own fate."]]
** The player can also pull this on [[spoiler:Bastila]] if you are a real JerkAss.
** You can also do this to Atris in the sequel.
* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', if you can turn [[spoiler:Aribeth]] back, she comes back, turns herself in, and tells the leadership of Neverwinter everything she knows about the Luskan forces. Then they turn around and execute her anyway.
* A really mean player who chooses to side with Kelemvor at the end of ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2: Mask of the Betrayer'' can do this to Arraman.
** [[spoiler:Bishop]] has the door slammed in his face as well. [[spoiler:He gives you a piece of the Mask and warns you of enemies that are about to attack you, implying he's done at least some soul-searching. Unfortunately, he's absorbed into [[TheLifestream the Wall]] moments later.]]
* After dueling Loghain in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', you can [[spoiler:offer him a chance to redeem himself]], but generally the path is to decapitate him right there, [[spoiler:if only because Alistar will leave the party in disgust at allowing the man who led nearly every Grey Warden of Ferelden to their deaths live. It's worth noting that Riordan, the person who suggests to let Loghain be of some use instead of executed, is a Grey Warden himself]].
* The end of the "Best Served Cold" quest in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''. [[spoiler:Thrask]] forms a secret mage-templar alliance to depose Meredith and get the Circle working the way it's supposed to. ''Then'' he has one of Hawke's loved ones kidnapped just in case they try to stop him. While he has no intention of actually hurting the hostage, his right-hand woman doesn't share his good intentions, and turns on him the second he stands in her way.
* Special Agent Kato in ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts Covenant'' [[spoiler:gradually grows disgusted with the motives of his superiors, and shifts focus towards his own dream of having a family with the clone of his murdered love (it's complicated), and living peacefully. Then the girl is killed a second time, and Kato decides to destroy the world]].
* It is very possible to slam the door in the face of a character's redemption (Although, not necessarily canon) in every ''Franchise/FireEmblem'', due to the fact that AnyoneCanDie, and there's lots of [[EnemyMine potential allies who are enemies at first]].
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'', this is the unfortunate fate of all but a few Black Fang who realize how Nergal's interference completely turned their organisation against what it stood for.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', Glen and Duessel, two of Vigarde's generals, both figure out that something rotten is going on in Grado. Duessel subverts it and successfully defects, but Glen is killed by Valter before he can switch sides.
** In the Birthright route of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', Zola [[BecomingTheMask comes to legitimately respect the avatar]], and begs for Garon to spare the Avatar's life even - however, he is promptly killed.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', it is possible to do this to [[spoiler: Lorenz on the Silver Snow and Azure Moon routes]], [[spoiler: Ashe on the Silver Snow and Verdant Wind routes]], and [[spoiler: Lysithea on the Crimson Flower route provided you didn't recruit her beforehand.]]
* An option for the player in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''. After the... [[WhamEpisode events... in the Ocean Palace]] and the escape from the Blackbird, the party encounters Magus, the former DiscOneFinalBoss, on the North Cape. He makes some rather insensitive comments about the recently deceased [[spoiler: Crono]], and when your party protests, draws his weapon and asks if you want to fight him. If you say no, he'll stand down and [[HeelFaceTurn join the party]]. If you say yes, however, you'll fight and kill him.
* Kuja of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' redeems himself by teleporting the heroes out of the Hill of Despair and outside the Iifa Tree. It's probably because of this that Zidane decides to go back for him. If anything, at least Kuja didn't [[DyingAlone die alone]].
* ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'''s [[DrJerk Michael Kaufmann]] can potentially be on the receiving end of this. If on the path to the Good endings, [[spoiler: he assists Harry in foiling Dahlia's plans with a vial of Aglaophotis]], and what does he get for his trouble? [[spoiler: He gets DraggedOffToHell by [[TheDogBitesBack Lisa Garland.]]]]
* ''Franchise/MassEffect''
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', [[spoiler:Saren]], by it simply being too late for him by the time he [[HeelRealization realized that he'd]] [[spoiler: been [[BrainwashedAndCrazy indoctrinated by]] the real BigBad]].
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', the exact same thing happens with [[spoiler: [[HeWhoFightsMonsters The Illusive Man]]]].
** Also [[spoiler: Benezia and Fai Dan]] from the first game. All examples save the last have the same source. you can also choose to slam the door in [[spoiler: the Rachni Queen's]] face in ''3.''
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', if you talk [[spoiler:Miranda]] down from killing [[spoiler:Niket]], who, [[spoiler:after hearing of Miranda's plan to, in his view, steal Oriana from their father, betrays Miranda to the Eclipse mercenaries]], he sees the error of his ways, but is gunned down immediately afterward.
** Again in ''2'', if you bring a disloyal [[spoiler:Miranda]] to the final battle and choose the Paragon option, she'll tell the Illusive Man where to get off...and then die thirty seconds later.
* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'':
** Cyrax gets a chapter in Story Mode showing his signs of turning good, ditching the Lin Kuei over the Cyber Initiative. Then he got captured and roboticized off-screen.
** [[LateArrivalSpoiler Elder Sub-Zero dies at Scorpion's hand and his soul descends into the Netherrealm to become Noob Saibot]] (as foreshadowed in ''Mythologies'' and revealed in ''Deception''). Raiden tries to avert this by striking a deal with Scorpion (if Scorpion doesn't kill Sub-Zero, he'll ask the Elder Gods to restore Scorpion's family to life), but Quan Chi, being the [[ManipulativeBastard asshole]] that he is [[BlatantLies creates false images of Sub-Zero killing Scorpion's wife and child]], causing Scorpion to lash out and kill his nemesis in anger anyway. So, not only does the younger Sub-Zero get dragged into the picture alongside Smoke ''again'', but his older brother [[CameBackWrong returns to life]] as Noob Saibot ''again''. This also comes with the unfortunate side-effect of Scorpion playing Quan Chi's lapdog, something that Raiden calls him out on (in the original timeline, Scorpion learned that Quan Chi, and ''not'' either of the Sub-Zero brothers killed his family, and chased Quan Chi through the Netherrealm after ''4'', beating the tar out of him).
** Also, Sindel. True to ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'', she's brought BackFromTheDead as a part of Shao Kahn's EvilPlan, BrainwashedAndCrazy. In the original timeline, she was able to break free of her mind control and was reunited with her daughter Kitana and their allies. Here, Shao Kahn empowers her with Shang Tsung's soul, allowing her to ''{{kill|EmAll}}'' 90% of Raiden's chosen warriors (including Kitana). It takes a [[TakingYouWithMe kamikaze]] HeroicSacrifice on Nightwolf's part to kill her, and her and the fallen heroes' [[note]]Kitana, Nightwolf, Cyber Sub-Zero, Smoke, Jade, Jax, Stryker, and Kabal; Kung Lao had been killed by Shao Kahn previously, while Raiden and Liu Kang were away consulting the Elder Gods; only Sonya and Cage made it out alive[[/note]] souls descend into the Netherrealm, [[FromBadToWorse where they become Quan Chi's slaves.]] Sindel ''does'' make a HeelFaceTurn in her Arcade Ladder ending, but this is noncanonical in regards to the story. [[note]]Although it does provide a good WhatCouldHaveBeen and the true nature of Sindel (which is good, not cackling evil), which gives a proof that the reboot doesn't destroy her whole characterization, fate just becomes much unkinder for her.[[/note]]
** It got worse in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''. Raiden, against all odds, managed to restore Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Jax from the aforementioned status as Quan Chi's slaves. Soon after, the remaining good guys managed to capture Quan Chi, in which Raiden have plans to have him restore the other revenants. [[spoiler:Then comes Scorpion, completely blinded by rage on the realization that Quan Chi was responsible of his family and clan's death, plowing through the heroes to reach out Quan Chi and behead him, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero thereby dooming the rest of the revenants to a permanent undead status.]]]]
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has Officer Hernandez, the third, [[TheVoiceless silent]] member of C.R.A.S.H (Well, not completely silent. The one time he speaks is on the phone with C.J. warning him that C.R.A.S.H is going to make sure he stays in Los Santos and works with them.) who acts as a Foil to the loudmouthed [[BigBad Tenpenny]] and [[JerkAss Pulaski.]] Eventually however, he got fed up with [[DirtyCop Tenpenny and Pulaski's ways]] sometime offscreen as his final cutscene is of Tenpenny beating him with a shovel for being a snitch, and having C.J. dig his grave at gunpoint. Hernandez isn't dead though, and he gets back up to try and tackle Pulaski, only to get shot, finally dying.
** The Introduction DVD expands on this. Hernandez speaks in it, telling a story about how he had to make a difficult decision between letting a man beat his crack addicted wife, or jailing the man and leaving the obviously unsuitable for children wife with their kids, establishing himself as a cop with morals. The other two cops scoff at that being a difficult decision, telling him that they're gonna be making difficult decisions on a regular basis. Later on, they force him to personally shoot a cop who had evidence proving that Tenpenny and Pulaski were crooked, so he can "be a fucking man." It makes Hernandez's death all the more tragic, as he was pretty much one of the handful of good cops in the whole series.
* [[spoiler:Gaspard]] in ''VideoGame/DarkCloud 2'' realizes that he's lost his way after a NotSoDifferentRemark moment with the hero and decides to quit serving the BigBad and back out of the conflict entirely, expressing a wish to see the end of the heroes' journey and maybe end his own with them. Unfortunately for him, the BigBad pulls a VillainOverride out of spite and the heroes are reluctantly forced to kill him.
* [[spoiler:Specialist Cross]] in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' helps Alex Mercer defeat Blackwatch in the later half of the game. [[spoiler:He is killed by the Supreme Hunter before he gets the chance to reveal his true identity to Alex]].
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** Shows up in some quests throughout the series. You can also choose to invoke it yourself at any time. After you've finished a quest and have chosen to spare the person attempting to make the Heel-Face Turn, you can immediately turn around and kill them.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'': The Mehrunes' Razor DLC involves a mad wizard seeking an artifact weapon as part of his bid to invade Cyrodil. Deep inside his fortress, you encounter [[CatFolk Khajiit]] workers bussed in by the wizard to help work his mines and outfit his army. Of course, they attack you on sight just like everyone else, despite the fact that they're not wearing armor and most of them have nothing but hoes and rakes to attack you with. While poking around, you can find a letter home by one of the workers saying that they hate Cyrodil and the work sucks, but [[MoneyDearBoy the money's too good]]. It also mentions that they're planning rebelling on at very least against the head smith in the near future. Of course, that worker is probably dead now… Much like the ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' example below, there's a lot of talk about missing the recipient of the letter and sending them needed money.
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', the Blades want you to do this to [[spoiler:Paarthunax, the dragon leader of the Graybeards, for his past crimes… nevermind the fact that the only reason the atrocities were thwarted was because of his eventual notion that these mortals are worth something, and teaching them how to overcome Alduin]].
* The Bonfire of the Vanities DLC for ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'' does this several times in the same mission. In order for the people of Florence to rise up against the insane monk Savonarola, Ezio has to assassinate each of his lieutenants that he had corrupted with the Apple of Eden. By mortally injuring them, the men are freed of the Apple's influence, and several of them express remorse and horror for their actions. But by then it is too late for them to right their wrongs, and they die in misery and shame. Notably, one of them admits that he wasn't under the Apple's influence and followed Savonarola because he happens to agree with him. He laughs at Ezio for thinking that the Apple is the only reason someone may share another person's ideas.
* [[spoiler:Cetsa]] gets this late in ''VideoGame/TheWayRPGMaker'': rescued from death and touched by both the hero's utter devotion to finding Serena and [[spoiler:his utter disdain for Cetsa herself]], she decides to start over anew and give up her life of crime. The first person she encounters after making this decision is a dying [[spoiler:Slade]] who she doesn't recognize. Grappling with his own failures, he kills her so he can die knowing he did something right. [[GainaxEnding Then everything starts getting weird]].
* ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'''s [[spoiler: Mukuro Ikusaba]] voices her doubts about the ideals of [[ForTheEvulz Ultimate Despair]] in the final scene of her [[LevelUpAtIntimacy5 Social]] [[FanNickname Link]] and resolves to turn over a new leaf IfWeGetThroughThis. [[KillerGameMaster Monokuma]] kills her immediately after.
* In TheStinger of ''VideoGame/Portal2,'' Wheatley laments on how horrible and monstrous [[spoiler: he'd]] been to Chell, but now he's [[spoiler: stranded floating in space, almost certain never to return to Earth]] with [[BrokenRecord the Space Core]] and [[spoiler: his]] own regrets for company. [[spoiler: He]] only wishes he could take it all back, and says that if he could ever see [[spoiler: Chell]] again, all he'd be able to do is apologize.
* Lor'themar Theron in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' became increasingly angry with how the Blood Elves were treated by both the Forsaken and Warchief Garrosh. During the Landfall storyline Variann Wrynn made secret overtures to the Blood Elves in hopes of regaining their lost ally (the elves had left the Alliance after the Second War), and Lor'themar was willing to listen... until Jaina purged Dalaran of all Sunreavers and aligned the neutral Kirin Tor firmly with the Alliance after hearing of the Horde using Dalaran's portal network to steal the Divine Bell and blaming the Blood Elf Sunreavers.
** Perhaps this goes on to be something of a subversion after the fact, as the Kirin Tor's actions may have soured the Blood Elves from rejoining the alliance, it hasn't stopped them from turning on Garrosh for his abuse of them. Further, his problems with Jaina certainly didn't stop him from finding a tenuous truce with her on Thunder Isle.
* Nimdok's scenario in ''VideoGame/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream'' entails realizing the atrocities he committed during World War 2, and doing everything he can to make amends in AM's recreation of the concentration camp he performed his research in. Nevertheless, in an ideal playthrough of his scenario, while his change of heart is recognized by the Jews he frees, they still [[spoiler:order the Nazi's Golem to kill Nimdok once he relinquishes control of it over to them]], as his crimes merited no less as punishment.
* In ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', it's [[spoiler:Regime Shazam]] who suffers this fate, realizing that the Regime Superman has [[VillainousBreakdown lost his lid in wanting to obliterate Metropolis and Gotham City before marching over to the heroic universe and subjugate that one.]]
* [[spoiler: Shauna]] in the Normal Path of ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters'' [[spoiler: dies of Scarlet Iago immediately after she begins to be liked by the group]].
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha series'': Kukuru unfortunately gets killed off just on the verge of making one in Alpha 2, but the ''biggest'' one in these games comes at the tail end of Alpha 1 if you choose to make peace with [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Kycillia Zabi]]. Although she can't do much to help take the edge off of the remaining conflicts, she does at least pledge to do what she can and her Zeon faction will keep from causing trouble. Shortly thereafter though, [[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam Angel Halo]] activates and, in a show of power, leaves the entire population of Side 3 braindead.
* In ''VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon'', [[spoiler: Harlan Wade makes a doomed attempt to undo what he did to his daughter Alma by releasing her from the Vault where she's been locked for almost the entirety of her life and un-death. As soon as she is able to get out, she thanks him by liquefying his flesh]].
* Can occur in episode five of ''VideoGame/TalesFromTheBorderlands''. [[spoiler:If freed from jail during the escape from Helios, Yvette tries to make amends with Rhys by helping him dismantle the space station's core. This causes a nearby airlock to open, and Rhys has the option to let her fall to her death.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'':
** Near the end of a neutral run, [[spoiler:If you choose to spare Asgore, he will promise to care for you. Then he dies, either through an ambush by Flowey or his own realization that keeping you underground would be against your wishes and his subsequent suicide so you can take his soul]].
** An odd case of a [[InvertedTrope Face-Heel Door Slam]] happens at the end of No Mercy run. [[spoiler:Once Flowey has realized that not only can he now be KilledOffForReal, but you're almost certain to do it, he makes a fast HeelFaceTurn and goes to warn Asgore about you. Unfortunately for both of them, Asgore's response is roughly "NotNowKiddo". After you knock Asgore to the floor in one shot, Flowey finishes his SOUL off, claiming that he can be useful to you and begging not to be killed. This... does not move you.[[note]]Of course, at this point, the game is on auto-pilot as killing Sans was the point of no return for the No Mercy/Genocide route, so you couldn't have saved him if you wanted to.[[/note]]]]
** Of course, right before that, there's a chance for a more traditional Heel-Face Door Slam. [[spoiler:If you accept Sans' offer to spare you midway through the fight with him, [[ISurrenderSuckers he lets you bring your guard down]] before [[OneHitKill dunking on you]]. What, you think he's really gonna forgive [[OmnicidalManiac someone like you?]]]] To be fair, he does point out your one chance at redemption on the Game Over screen: [[spoiler:[[MediumAwareness reset and don't walk on the genocide route again]].]]
** This goes up to meta levels when one considers the consequences of [[spoiler:completing a No Mercy run, which involves the Fallen Child taking away control from the player, destroying the world (even if you refuse), and then offering to bring it back in exchange for [[DealWithTheDevil giving up your soul]], which allows them to possess Frisk at any time. Specifically, right at the end of a True Pacifist run, which used to be the happiest ending]]. Most of all, they're almost permanent - as in "uninstalling the game and installing it on a different computer (at least on Steam with Steam Cloud) ''does not work''" permanent.
* The first contract in ''VideoGame/HitmanBloodMoney'' is the Swing King, who was the owner of an amusement park which was forced to close after a major malfunction caused the park's ferris wheel to collapse with patrons riding it. Even though he was acquitted of the fatalities that ensued from the accident, no-one has forgiven him - no-one wants to invest in re-opening the park while he owns it. The one person who does offer the Swing King money is a drug baron who converts the defunct park to his base of operations. SK's wife is demanding a divorce which he won't sign off on under the delusion he can start the park up again using the drug baron's money. Oh, and someone who had a loved one die in the aforementioned malfunction hired Agent 47 to kill him, so that causes the door to slam fully and fatally on him.
** To rub salt in the wound, should you choose to listen to him rather than immediately kill him, he tries to beg for mercy and explain how he's trying to make good and move past all of this. Unfortunately, Agent 47 isn't moved, and the player is not given an option to bypass this event as you cannot proceed without killing him.
* The [[AscendedDemon Redeemed]] in ''[[VideoGame/NexusWar Nexus Clash]]'' are tragic refugees from TheLegionsOfHell who heroically battle both the forces of evil and their own corrupted natures in a relentless, heroic push upward into the light. They walk a much narrower path even than the Angels, since so many of their powers call on their former demonic natures and are scorned by the Good PowersThatBe. Unless they're using their [[DarkIsNotEvil powers]] for good all the time, they will quickly fall victim to this trope and be rejected by both heaven and hell.
* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', the First Incarnation [[spoiler:had caused such a big evil that he went in search of immortality purely to give himself enough time to redeem himself. The fact that this GoneHorriblyRight is what sets off the main plot ages ago.]] And then, [[spoiler:assuming you play The Nameless One as willing to redeem himself, you spend ''the entire game'' doing just that, and at the end of the game you end up either going to hell anyway for your sins, or willing yourself out of existence entirely. You have gone ''way'' too far over the centuries to have any shot at redeeming yourself and making it stick.]]
** Also happens to [[spoiler:Trias]] if you manage to redeem him with [[KnightTemplar Vhailor]] in your party. Long story short, when the animated suit of armour tells you that he will do anything to bring justice with his ''giant murder axe'', feel free to believe him. [[FactionMotto Justice is everything, and punishment leads to perfection]].
* This [[StoryBranching can happen]] to trigger [[spoiler: John Doe's]] StartOfDarkness in Season 2, Episode 4 of ''VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries''. [[spoiler: During a tense confrontation on a bomb-laden bridge, John asks to be given a chance to get the detonator and a man-made virus away from Harley Quinn. If allowed, things start looking like they'll go south, with Amanda Waller ordering her men to move in to prevent it.]] If Bruce agrees with this assessment, we get this heartbreaking line.
-->'''[[spoiler: John Doe]]''': [[WhatTheHellHero Look what you've done]]! (Voice cracking) [[FalseFriend You were supposed to be my friend]]!
* There are no less than ''three'' different versions of [[spoiler: Leon's]] death in ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny''. In the manga, Stahn beats [[spoiler: Leon]], but then tries to convince him they can save [[spoiler: Marian]] by working together. He's almost swayed... Then the mines start flooding, and he's too weak to escape. This is promoted to a [[spoiler: full out RedemptionEqualsDeath]] in the game's [=PS2=] remake.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel IV'', [[spoiler:Arianrhod, also known as the legendary Lianne Sandlot, loses her bout against Rean with Rean giving his life energy to her to live on. Then Rufus shows up and [[BackStab back stabs her]], killing her off.]]
* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder'', the [[BigBad Second Sister]] is a former Jedi who was [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil tortured into becoming an Inquisitor]]. After [[PlayerCharacter Cal Kestis]] defeats the Second Sister, her old master offers her a chance to rejoin the Jedi. She gives the offer serious thought, [[spoiler:only to be killed by Darth Vader before she can accept]].
* The ending of ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'' has Ichiban confronting Ryo Aoki, the Governor of Tokyo and [[spoiler:his former friend Masato]] while the latter is going through an intense VillainousBreakdown after a EngineeredPublicConfession has ruined him. After a tearful pleading from Ichiban begging Aoki to not kill himself, he decides to turn himself in for his crimes so that he may atone upon release... only to be [[spoiler:assassinated by Sota Kume, a political lackey and his most ardent believer left broken by the revelation that he dedicated his life to a corrupt powermonger. Aoki's final words to Ichiban has him pleading him to never give up on life and how it would have been nice to start from the bottom by his side]].
[[/folder]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': [[spoiler: Missy, aka The Master]] has this happen in [[spoiler: "The Doctor Falls"]], at hand of, ironically, [[spoiler: his/her own past incarnation "Saxon", when she decided to stand with the Doctor in his hopeless battle with an army of Cybermen, and complete a HeelFaceTurn she'd been working toward all season]]. Apparently [[spoiler: the old Master]] considered making a HeelFaceTurn a FateWorseThanDeath.

** An odd case of a [[InvertedTrope Face-Heel Door Slam]] happens at the end of No Mercy run. [[spoiler:Once Flowey has realized that not only can he now be KilledOffForReal, but you're almost certain to do it, he makes a fast HeelFaceTurn and goes to warn Asgore about you. Unfortunately for both of them, Asgore's response is roughly "NotNowKiddo". After you knock Asgore to the floor in one shot, Flowey finishes his SOUL off, claiming that he can be useful to you and begging not to be killed. This... does not move you.[[note]]Of course, at this point, the game is on auto-pilot as killing Sans was the point of no return for the No Mercy/Genocide route, so you couldn't have save him if you wanted to.[[/note]]]]

** An odd case of a [[InvertedTrope Face-Heel Door Slam]] happens at the end of No Mercy run. [[spoiler:Once Flowey has realized that not only can he now be KilledOffForReal, but you're almost certain to do it, he makes a fast HeelFaceTurn and goes to warn Asgore about you. Unfortunately for both of them, Asgore's response is roughly "NotNowKiddo". After you knock Asgore to the floor in one shot, Flowey finishes his SOUL off, claiming that he can be useful to you and begging not to be killed. This... does not move you.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': At the climax of "The Duck Knight Rises!", Jim Starling is preparing to kill the actor that replaced him in [[WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck his most famous role]] when Launchpad interrupts with a RousingSpeech. Said speech (as well as the replacement's assertion that Launchpad is his biggest fan) induce a HeelRealization in Jim, leading to him seemingly [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificing himself]] saving Launchpad and the replacement from an explosion. [[spoiler:He doesn't die; however, that ended up becoming the ''last'' heroic act he performed before his mind was warped permanently, turning him into [[EvilCounterpart Negaduck]].]]

* [[spoiler: Ikuya Asano]] from ''LightNovel/TheTwelveKingdoms'', who had [[DespairEventHorizon given into despair]] upon [[spoiler: being TrappedInAnotherWorld]] and became a pawn in the BigBad's hands because of that, is given a chance for a last mission which will help him redeem himself. He's killed in it, and his LastWords lampshading the trope: "Why did [[spoiler: I come into this world]]? Will I just die for nothing?!"

* ''Film/{{Glass}}'':In one of the most brutal examples, just as Casey manages to reach out to Kevin and he finally has the Beast and his other personalities under control, a sniper shoots him, and without the invulnerability of the Beast, he seems to take the shot like a normal human.