History Main / HeelFaithTurn

* ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'': Livia is shown her true origins by RaysFromHeaven, revealing that she is Xena's daughter and a messenger from the God of Light.
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E11TheDarknessAndTheLight "The Darkness and the Light"]]: The first victim of the mysterious killer who's knocking off Major Kira's old LaResistance comrades one by one is said to be an anti-heroic example of this trope, having had a very rough time transitioning back into civilian life with no Cardassian occupation forces to use as a productive outlet for his homicidal impulses but eventually finding peace through his faith in the Prophets. Not that the killer cared; in fact the murder method was to stuff explosives into a small ceremonial brazier whose flames were used as a meditation aid, meaning that he would be killed when he knelt in prayer. Even Kira, who [[IDidWhatIHadToDo has no shame or regrets]] about [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilised some of the more morally questionable things the Resistance resorted to]], is [[EveryoneHasStandards vocally appalled at such a cowardly tactic.]]

* ''Memphis'' has an interesting take on this trope. Huey's mother is a prejudiced, racist "Christian." Then she attends a black church and becomes accepting.
* A DoubleSubversion in the musical ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon.'' In act 2, Kevin Price marches up to the genocidal warlord-dictator, singing "I Believe," over the top in his idealism and his conviction. The general is unimpressed and shoves the book up Price's ass. However, at the end of the show, with a confrontation from both the missionaries and the Ugandans, the general converts and ends up ringing doorbells at the show's conclusion.
* Skin Lad in ''Theatre/{{Road}}'' leaves his old life behind to follow the dharma after an apparition during a particularly nasty fight.

* Reverend Ray in ''VideoGame/CallOfJuarez'' turned to religion after [[spoiler:[[MyGodWhatHaveIDone killing his own brother]], who dreamed of becoming a priest but ended up TakingTheBullet for their other brother Thomas to show Ray the true faith]].

* If you complete Thane's loyalty mission in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Kolyat [[spoiler:Krios, his estranged son,]] will have quit the life of crime and turned to religion by the time you meet him again in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''.
** After finishing his work upgrading the [[SterilityPlague Genophage]], Mordin began dabbling with various faiths in order to deal with his guilt. He never found an answer that satisfied him. While he doesn't express a belief in any particular religion and seems to remain agnostic, he does respect the faith of others and even says a brief prayer over the corpse of a deceased krogan test subject.
* Longinus from ''VideoGame/FarCry4'' was an [[AfricanTerrorists African warlord]] who became a priest after surviving a bullet to the head, and left his home country behind to travel the world seeking to collect [[spoiler:all the blood diamonds he sold to criminals]]. Currently, he works as an ArmsDealer for [[LaResistance the Golden Path]] to assist them in their war against [[TheCaligula Pagan Min]]. That said, Longinus [[ArtisticLicenseReligion doesn't seem to get the central points of religion]], saying things like "What gun would Jesus choose?" to justify his actions. He's a sincere [[TheAtoner Atoner]], though, and is only ever helpful to [[PlayerCharacter Ajay]].
-->'''Longinus''': (''in a moment of DrowningMySorrows'') [[AsTheGoodBookSays And the Lord said, "Who shall I send?"]] And I said, "''I am here. Send me''." I come from [[{{Bulungi}} a land of death and misery]]. And I [[OffscreenVillainy stood with the devil for so long]]. (''He indicates [[spoiler:two blood diamonds]] on the table between him and Ajay, both [[BeAllMySinsRemembered physical reminders of his past atrocities]]'') This one...this one wanted travel documents to [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere take his family some place safe]]. And ''this one''... wanted malaria medication for his sick child, so he tried to kill me. I cannot blame him. (''Longinus raises the bottle to his lips, but then [[NoMoreForMe plonks it down again]]'') '''[[BigNo NO]]!''' There is still work to do! We are not finished! You know what you must do! And ''I'' know what ''I'' must do!
* Joshua Graham from ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. He was originally a missionary of the New Canaanites, before helping to create Caesar's Legion. After being dishonored, set on fire, and thrown into the Grand Canyon by Caesar, he found his way back to New Canaan and the Mormons. It mellowed him out. [[AntiHero A bit]].

* Cyprian "Whoreson Junior" Wily from ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'', a crime boss known as a sadistic nutter by his peers (who are hardly sane or strangers to violence), can, in one ending, find religion and re-invent himself as an above-board brown-water trader. [[spoiler:Except it isn't actually him, but Dudu Biberveldt the Doppler who has stolen Whoreson's identity, and is using his new-found "piety" to keep Radovid's witch-hunters off his back and quelch any questions about why Whoreson has stopped using drugs and mistreating sex workers.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''
** [[Characters/SouthParkEricCartman Eric Cartman]]
*** In Season 16, Cartman seemingly [[spoiler:converts to Judaism]]. Not that he'll ever be good, but his antics have been much less of a psychotic sociopath and closer to the SpoiledBrat or JerkAss persona he started the show with.
*** In ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkPostCovid'', Cartman truly converts into Judaism, marries and starts a family. Though Kyle is very skeptical about this, and Cartman backslides to his evil ways in ''[[WesternAnimation/SouthParkPostCovidTheReturnOfCovid The Return of Covid]]'' to protect his family, his wife is able to convince Cartman to help make the future better for everyone else showing that this change of heart is genuine. However, this leads to a future where Cartman never went through this change and remained a bigot, resulting in him becoming a homeless alcoholic, who's all alone, and has done nothing but scream insults at people.

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[[quoteright:250:[[WesternAnimation/SouthPark https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sp_hft.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:250:Eric Cartman: from a Hitler-worshipping anti-Semite as a child to a Jewish rabbi as an adult.]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* In ''Anime/HighlanderTheSearchForVengeance'', Colin [=McLeod=] spends most of the film as a thoroughly unlikeable HollywoodAtheist. By the end of the movie, he has started believing in a higher power and has gotten a lot more friendly as a result.

* Shows up in most of, if not all ''ComicBook/ChickTracts''. [[BrokenAesop Usually ineptly handled.]]
* In the non-canon ''Wolverine: The End'', Paul Jenkins has Sabretooth, one of Marvel's most deranged and sadistic murderers, renounce his former life and become a born-again Christian. Amazingly, despite Wolverine's skepticism, the conversion appears to be genuine.

* In Creator/MarkMillar's last arc on ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'', the team is removed from power and replaced with a bunch of capitalism-friendly knock-offs. The knock-off version of The Doctor, who calls himself The Surgeon, tries to maintain his hold on The Doctor's powers by allowing corporations to loot the Garden of Ancestral Memory. When The Surgeon is finally deposed, The Doctor deals with the looters by forcing them to convert to the religions that they tried to demolish.

* Tropers/{{Allronix}} loves this one. In ''Fanfic/ThroughADiamondSky'', TheDragon has second thoughts when she realizes her boss plans to kill the Creator. In her Series/TinMan fanfic "Tin," Wyatt Cain slowly renounces revenge and re-dedicates himself to the oath of his office and the [[Literature/{{Wicked}} Unnamed God]] through the events of the miniseries.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Film/TheButterflyEffect'': In the alternate timeline where Evan stops the mother and baby from approaching the dynamite-filled mailbox and loses his arms in the process, Kayleigh's psychopathic brother Tommy ends up as a polite and well-kept Christian young man.

* In ''Film/MurderAtYellowstoneCity'', PreacherMan Thaddeus Murphy is a RetiredOutlaw who found God and turned his life around while on the run.

* In Creator/BernardCornwell's ''Literature/NateStarbuck'' series, set in the American Civil War, Colonel Swynyard goes through one of these when an extremely near-miss from a cannonball results in him waking up lying in the battlefield mud next to a religious pamphlet. Interestingly, this is played completely straight (and works extremely well) by an author who had, in other series, been very critical regarding the Catholic Church in the eras the books were set in (albeit still portraying individual priests as kindly or even heroic, and the Church has admitted the corruption which was very heavy at the times he wrote about).
* Jean Valjean of ''Literature/LesMiserables'' starts off as a thief, hardened and not so nice, even going as far as to steal from the only man who gave him shelter. This man, however, happens to be a bishop, and gives Valjean more money, telling him that 'he has bought his soul for God'. Valjean repents and becomes #1 do-gooder. [[InspectorJavert Javert]] doesn't care.
%%* [[spoiler: Temple]] of Creator/JoeAbercrombie's ''Literature/RedCountry''. Oh so much.
* In Creator/SergeyLukyanenko's ''Literature/SeekersOfTheSky'' duology, the main characters are on the run from the entire nation. At the end of the first book, they are cornered by the Guard, headed by a huge Austrian officer named Arnold (guess). Then Marcus creates a small miracle, causing Arnold to immediately switch his allegiance, believing the kid to be the new Messiah.

* In another Literature/ForgottenRealms novel, ''War in Tethyr'' by Victor Milan, this is implied to be the case for an orog paladin of Torm. Details of how an underground orc ended up in the service of the god of duty are unknown, but he avoids talking about his past and even [[MeaningfulRename abandoned his given name]].
* Sam Slater in ''Literature/StrawberryGirl'' is evil, before Brother Jackson, a traveling minister, tells him "the harm of drinkin' liquor, and of swearin' and backbitin', gossip and anger" and prays "extry hard" for him. [[spoiler: Also, Slater's family had nearly died of unspecified illness while he was away, and he became sick when he got home.]]

* In the Creator/DaleBrown novel ''Literature/SkyMasters'' General Samar used to be a brutal member of former president Marcos's SecretPolice. Then he became a Muslim and changed for the better.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''
** Subverted with Aeron Greyjoy, who nearly drowned and had a NearDeathExperience, resulting in him revitalizing his faith in the Drowned God as a priest. This religion preaches that the Ironborn were made to rape and pillage everyone else, so while he certainly becomes a more pious and principled person, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality it's a stretch to say whether he's "better".]] It does inspire him to [[BlackAndGreyMorality stand up to]] his brother Euron, however.
** It's uncertain if this is what happened to [[spoiler:Sandor Clegane]], if the large man with a limp Brienne saw was him. He has previously renounced all gods, but the man Brienne saw was digging graves for a priest -- a former knight who'd undergone this trope years before.
** Lancel Lannister, after undergoing a near-fatal wound [[spoiler:and out of guilt over his involvement in the murder of the previous king and sleeping with the Queen Regent, joins a ChurchMilitant and repents his sins. This causes problems for the Queen Regent, who finds herself charged with murder and fornication.]]
* Occasionally occurs in ''Literature/{{Safehold}}'' when clergy of the corrupt Church of God Awaiting rediscover their faith. The two primary examples include:
** Archbishop Erayk Dynnys, who rediscovers God while awaiting execution. He proceeds to proclaim the Church of God Awaiting as being in the wrong, guaranteeing a death dragged out by ColdBloodedTorture, rather than confirm the Church's version of events and get a quick and easy death.
** Vicar Rhobair Duchairn, a member of the Group of Four, the vicars who ''really'' run the Church of God Awaiting. He begins to rediscover his own faith in the wake of the disastrous battles with Charis in the first book. While not siding with Charis, and unable to truly break away from the Group of Four even if he wanted to, he slowly but surely turns into a GoodShepherd who does his best to make sure the poor and destitute of the Church's capital city are looked after and becomes the chief voice of opposition against Grand Inquisitor Zhaspahr Clynthan.
* From ''Literature/BekaCooper'', this is Goodwin's backstory. She was once a [[DirtyCop loose Dog]] until a shipment went skewed and she was left dying in a ditch. She pleaded for the Goddess to let her live, she survived, and she became the Goddess' Magistrate in the [[TheCityNarrows Lower City]] as well as one of its best Dogs.

* In ''Literature/AWolfInTheSoul'', Greg becomes a better person, such as learning to finally appreciate his best friend, through returning to Judaism.
* This is part of Desmond [=McCain=]'s backstory in the eighth ''Literature/AlexRider''. [[spoiler:However, it's later revealed that this is a lie.]]

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' plays with this trope. Sanya, [[ThePaladin Knight of the Cross]], was a former villain, having been host to a Fallen Angel and did many evil things. But when he learned his handler, a woman he loved deeply, saw him as disposable and a tool, he left and suffered a MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment. His guilt at his actions purged the Fallen from inside of him and he soon ran into Shiro, who is the Knight of Faith. Seeing this man needing guidance, Shiro helped the young man, and Sanya decided to help stop those who he was just part of. Then ArchangelMichael appeared and gifted Sanya the Sword of Hope to wield and bring Hope to anyone who sees him or it. The played with part is, despite being host to a Fallen Angel, witnessed an Archangel appear, and many other miraculous moments and deeds, Sanya is an agnostic. He accepts God probably exists but doesn't know if God is some all-powerful being, an alien, or just a delusion of his. What matters to Sanya is his continued helping people.
* ''Literature/ChanceAndChoicesAdventures'' sees a few awful characters become much better people after finding Jesus, most notably the former bandit Ben in book two.
* Part of the reason the galaxy won the Yuuzhan Vong war in ''Literature/NewJediOrder'' was the ''Jedaii'' Heresy, a corruption of the Basic word Jedi. The deeds of various Jedi throughout the war became so legendary that Yuuzhan vong heretics incorporated it into their religion. The Shamed Ones caste was particularly prone to conversion, as the whole heresy was kicked off by a Shamed One who was redeemed by a Jedi. A few notable figures in the Heresy include [[BigBad Shimrra Jamaane]], whose evil deeds caused the gods to call for the Jeedai, Anakin Solo, who redeemed a Shamed One, [[YouShallNotPass the Ganner (actually Ganner Rhysode), who entered the religion as the guardian of the underworld]], and [[BigGood Luke Skywalker]], who slew Shimrra and was sometimes believed to be [[PhysicalGod an aspect or incarnation of the war god Yum-Yammka]].
* Played with in [[Literature/TheBelgariad The Mallorean]] in the nature of the protective curse around the city of Kell. Any [[ReligionOfEvil Grolim]] that approaches the city is stricken blind. It is the effect of the curse that triggers this trope by causing the grolim to only see the face [[spoiler: of their future god, a far more benevolent one than Torak.]]
* The protagonist of ''The Fraternity of the Stone'', and one of the two protagonists in ''The Brotherhood of the Rose'' by Creator/DavidMorrell (creator of ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'') is a former assassin for the US government who joined a monastery to atone for their past. Circumstances force them to return to their former profession.
* In ''Literature/TheCoralIsland'', natives who have undergone EasyEvangelism abandon all their old practices, such as cannibalism, HumanSacrifice, and ArrangedMarriage. When the tribal chief Tararo converts, he refuses to persecute unconverted tribe members the way he previously persecuted Christians because he understands that God wouldn't want him to use force, but the whole tribe converts of their own free will within a few days.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
** In Season 16, Cartman seemingly [[spoiler:converts to Judaism]]. Not that he'll ever be good, but his antics have been much less of a psychotic sociopath and closer to the SpoiledBrat or JerkAss persona he started the show with.
** In ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkPostCovid'', Cartman truly converts into Judaism, marries and starts a family. Though Kyle is very skeptical about this, and Cartman backslides to his evil ways in ''[[WesternAnimation/SouthParkPostCovidTheReturnOfCovid The Return of Covid]]'' to protect his family, his wife is able to convince Cartman to help make the future better for everyone else showing that this change of heart is genuine. However, this leads to a future where Cartman never went through this change and remained a bigot, resulting in him becoming a homeless alcoholic, who's all alone, and has done nothing but scream insults at people.

* In ''Literature/ActsOfTheApostles'', Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee, a member of a very zealous Jewish sect. Being the approving coat-bearer at the stoning of early martyr Saint Stephen, he becomes the chief KnightTemplar on "witch hunts" to destroy all Christians until he encounters UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} on the way to Damascus. After his rename into Paul the Apostle[[note]]Technically it's a DubNameChange rather than a MeaningfulRename, in Israel his name is still Saul, the name Paul is how the Greeks refer to him as, from the name "Paulos"[[/note]], he's best known for being a faithful preacher and the pioneer of spreading [[Literature/TheFourGospels the gospels]] to the gentiles (or foreigners), as well as being the author of 13 letters such as ''Literature/BookOfCorinthians'', ''Literature/BookOfRomans'' and more.

** In the series' backstory, during the 1st Era, the [[HornyVikings Nordic]] Empire, led by the Tongues (masters of the [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]]), was expanding rapidly out of Skyrim. Their armies invaded deep into Morrowind, slaughtering both the Chimer (ancestors of the Dunmer) and [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemer]]. The leaders of these long-time enemy races, Lord Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarfking, agreed to form an EnemyMine. Their combined forces met at the base of Red Mountain, where the Chimer/Dwemer alliance ''"annihilated"'' the Nord army, a [[ShockingDefeatLegacy truly shocking defeat]] in this history of the ProudWarriorRace Nords. The most powerful of the Tongues, Jurgen Windcaller, survived but fell into HeroicBSOD despair. Despite the [[MakeMeWannaShout advantage conferred by the Thu'um]], the Nord army was soundly crushed. For seven years, Windcaller meditated and reflected on the defeat, coming to the conclusion that it was a punishment from the gods for misusing the Thu'um. He would use the defeat as inspiration to discover the Way of the Voice and found the Greybeards, a monastic order who espouse [[BadassPacifist nonintervention and pacifism]], and only use the Voice to honor the gods. The aftereffects of this battle can still be felt in the plots of both ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' and ''Skyrim''.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': "Tin Pan Alley Cats" concludes with the Fats Waller cat, having spent the cartoon at the Kit Kat Klub and a rather surreal landscape, joining Uncle Tomcat's gospel revival next door.

* ''Series/WildBill'': ** [[spoiler:In "Dead Men Don't Return Library Books" a petty thief, [=JonJo=] Ryan, turns out to have become a Jesuit priest and repented his criminal past.]]

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'', [[EleventhHourRanger late-game character]] Renault ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS or Renaud for those in PAL regions]]) reveals through [[RelationshipValues Support conversations with other characters]] that he was once a mercenary and that the death of a friend of his had prompted him to turn to the Church of St. Elimine for guidance. The truth is more complex than this, however. [[spoiler:After his friend had died, Renault came upon [[BigBad Nergal]], who was then performing further research into the use of [[LifeEnergy quintessence]] to create life. Still grief-stricken, Renault agreed to assist Nergal with his experiments, in the promise of having his friend returned to him. However, Nergal eventually fulfilled his side of the bargain by raising Renault's friend as a [[ArtificialHuman Morph]], a soulless construct that was nothing like the person Renault had known. Overcome by regret from both this and his realisation of Nergal's atrocities (to which his aid had ultimately contributed), Renault left to join the clergy, to seek any kind of forgiveness for his actions.]]

[[caption-width-right:250:Eric Cartman: from a Hitler-worshipping anti-Semite as a child to Jewish rabbi as an adult.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In Season 16 Cartman, [[spoiler:converts to Judaism]]. Not that he'll ever be good, but his antics have been much less of a psychotic sociopath and closer to the SpoiledBrat or JerkAss persona he started the show with.

[[caption-width-right:250:Eric Cartman: from a Hitler-worshipping anti-Semite in as a child to Jewish rabbi as an adult.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Eric Cartman: from a Hitler-worshipping anti-Semite in as a child to Jewish rabbi as an adult.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' had the episode "Dope and Faith", where Stan made friends with an Atheist, so to get him to turn to God, he subjected the man to a thorough BreakTheCutie process. Instead of turning to God, he kills himself and comes back by making a DealWithTheDevil. Stan at least learns to accept him for who he is.

* The ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' episode "The Good Buck". Buck Strickland, normally a crass, profane jerk, becomes a well-behaved sincere Christian. At least until [[ResetButton the end of the episode]], where [[StatusQuoIsGod he turns back to his old ways.]]
* Season 16 of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' may have pulled this with Cartman when he [[spoiler: converts to Judaism]]. Not that he'll ever be good, but his antics have been much less of a psychotic sociopath and closer to the SpoiledBrat or JerkAss persona he started the show with.

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' had the episode "Dope and Faith", where Stan made friends with an Atheist, so to get him to turn to God, he subjected the man to a thorough BreakTheCutie process. Instead of turning to God, he kills himself and comes back by making a DealWithTheDevil. Stan at least learns to accept him for who he is.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': has Arty Stromwell, head of a crime family, do this with the forgiveness and encouragement of his brother, Michael, who lost a leg saving Arty as a child and went on to become a GoodShepherd.
* The ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Tin Pan Alley Cats" concludes with the Fats Waller cat, having spent the cartoon at the Kit Kat Klub and a rather surreal landscape, joining Uncle Tomcat's gospel revival next door.

* The protagonist of ''The Fraternity of the Stone'', and one of the two protagonists in ''The Brotherhood of the Rose'' by Creator/DavidMorrell (creator of ''Film/{{Rambo}}'') is a former assassin for the US government who joined a monastery to atone for their past. Circumstances force them to return to their former profession.

* ''ComicBook/CerebusTheAardvark'': The TropeNamer for all things that [[CerebusSyndrome start happy and fun and end in the most horrific way possible]], the series actually subverts its own trope when the titular protagonist, Cerebus, near the final arcs of the series, undergoes a religious experience similar to that of the comic's author, David Sim. He finds that the Bible, Torah, and Quran are all equally valid religious texts in the eyes of God, and after his conversion, becomes a stronger, more motivated, and determined character for the rest of the series, as he now believes he has something worth fighting for.

* In Creator/BernardCornwell's ''Literature/NateStarbuck'' series, set in the American Civil War, Colonel Swynyard goes through one of these when an extremely near-miss from a cannonball results in him waking up lying in the battlefield mud next to a religious pamphlet. Interestingly, this is played completely straight (and works extremely well) by an author who had, in other series, was very critical regarding the Catholic Church in the eras the books were set in (albeit still portraying individual priests as kindly or even heroic, and the Church has admitted the corruption which was very heavy at the times he wrote about).
* Jean Valjean of ''Literature/LesMiserables'' starts off as a thief, hardened and not so nice, even going as far to steal from the only man who gave him shelter. This man, however, happens to be a bishop, and gives Valjean more money, telling him that 'he has bought his soul for God'. Valjean repents and becomes #1 do-gooder. [[InspectorJavert Javert]] doesn't care.

** Although he was already a priest, Thoros of Myr did not believe his own religion and spent his time drinking and whoring. Then his prayers resurrected Beric Dondarrion. Unfortunately, his newfound belief leads him to sell Gendry to Melisandre because he is convinced it is his god's will.

* ''Series/HandOfGod'': {{Zigzagged}}. KD gave up his criminal ways after being born again. Pernell also then gives up a lot of his corrupt practices, while believing God is using him as an instrument of vengeance against people, with KD carrying out his will. However, since they believe it's God's will neither thinks this is bad (at first anyway).

* In an episode of ''Series/LawAndOrder'', a man committed a racist murder, and then contemplated suicide, until he heard church bells in the distance, leading him to a Christian conversion. He wasn't tried for the murder until after he had spent years living a genuine life of service, leading everyone to question the purpose of imprisoning him now.

* Parodied in an episode of ''Series/{{Malcolm in the Middle}}'' where the family begins to attend a church and Reese, the epitome of BigBrotherBully, unironically becomes super into it. To the point where he tries to fly up to the clouds on a chair with huge balloons tied on it. A butchered, yet sincere, rendition of "Amazing Grace" follows.

* Wrestling/ShawnMichaels is a RealLife example that transferred over into his career. He went from a sex-soaked narcisstic boytoy to having crosses on his wrestling gear and doing his best to help others.

* A DoubleSubversion in the musical ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon.'' In act 2, Kevin Price marches up to the genocidal warlord-dictator, singing "I Believe," over-the-top in his idealism and his conviction. The general is unimpressed and shoves the book up Price's ass. However, at the end of the show, with a confrontation from both the missionaries and the Ugandans, the general converts and ends up ringing doorbells at the show's conclusion.

** After finishing his work upgrading the [[SterilityPlague Genophage]], Mordin began dabbling with various faiths in order to deal with his guilt. He never found an answer that satisfied him. While he doesn't express a belief in any particular religion and seems to remain agnostic, he does respect the faith of others, and even says a brief prayer over the corpse of a deceased krogan test subject.

** In the series' backstory, during the 1st Era, the [[HornyVikings Nordic]] Empire, led by the Tongues (masters of the [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]]), was expanding rapidly out of Skyrim. Their armies invaded deep into Morrowind, slaughtering both the Chimer (ancestors of the Dunmer) and [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemer]]. The leaders of these long time enemy races, Lord Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarfking, agreed to form an EnemyMine. Their combined forces met at the base of Red Mountain, where the Chimer/Dwemer alliance ''"annihilated"'' the Nord army, a [[ShockingDefeatLegacy truly shocking defeat]] in this history of the ProudWarriorRace Nords. The most powerful of the Tongues, Jurgen Windcaller, survived but fell into HeroicBSOD despair. Despite the [[MakeMeWannaShout advantage conferred by the Thu'um]], the Nord army was soundly crushed. For seven years, Windcaller meditated and reflected on the defeat, coming to the conclusion that it was a punishment from the gods for misusing the Thu'um. He would use the defeat as inspiration to discover the Way of the Voice and found the Greybeards, a monastic order who espouse [[BadassPacifist nonintervention and pacifism]], and only use the Voice to honor the gods. The aftereffects of this battle can still be felt in the plots of both ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' and ''Skyrim''.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'', [[EleventhHourRanger late-game character]] Renault ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS or Renaud for those in PAL regions]]) reveals through [[RelationshipValues Support conversations with other characters]] that he was once a mercenary, and that the death of a friend of his had prompted him to turn to the Church of St. Elimine for guidance. The truth is more complex than this, however. [[spoiler:After his friend had died, Renault came upon [[BigBad Nergal]], who was then performing further research into the use of [[LifeEnergy quintessence]] to create life. Still grief-stricken, Renault agreed to assist Nergal with his experiments, in the promise of having his friend returned to him. However, Nergal eventually fulfilled his side of the bargain by raising Renault's friend as a [[ArtificialHuman Morph]], a soulless construct that was nothing like the person Renault had known. Overcome by regret from both this and his realisation of Nergal's atrocities (to which his aid had ultimately contributed), Renault left to join the clergy, to seek any kind of forgiveness for his actions.]]

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Has nothing to do with]] Faith Lehane from ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. %% OK, maybe a little bit, but she's still not an example.

The title is a [[IncrediblyLamePun pun]] on HeelFaceTurn, directly inspired by FaithHeelTurn, which is this trope's opposite. Compare EasyEvangelism. Subtrope of TurnToReligion.

* Willy Thorndop, the Marksmanship master in ''VideoGame/ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura'', was pretty much your stereotypical "Evil [[TheGunslinger Gunslinger]]" in his younger days. One day, he was at a bar, drunk off his ass and [[IncrediblyLamePun shooting his mouth off]] about his skills, and was challenged to a gunfight by a teenage boy. Without missing a beat, Willy pulled out his gun, pressed it against the boy's head, and pulled the trigger. When he sobered up, he was so horrified by what he did and what he had become, he just ran, eventually seeking refuge in the priesthood of Halcyon. As penance, they made him cut off his thumbs and index fingers so that he could never use a gun again.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Used as a hasty DeusExMachina in Shakespeare's ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt''. Duke Frederick, the usurping villain who sets the plot in motion by driving the heroes into exile, is on his way to make war with the heroes when he comes across a religious hermit who convinces him to give up his evil ways and lead a monastic life. We're told all this after the fact via messenger. Loose end officially tied up!
* ''Memphis'' has an interesting take on this trope. Huey's mother is a prejudiced, racist "Christian." Then she attends a black church and becomes accepting.
* A DoubleSubversion in the musical ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon.'' In act 2, Kevin Price marches up to the genocidal warlord-dictator, singing "I Believe," over-the-top in his idealism and his conviction. The general is unimpressed and shoves the book up Price's ass. However, at the end of the show, with a confrontation from both the missionaries and the Ugandans, the general converts and ends up ringing doorbells at the show's conclusion.
* Skin Lad in ''Theatre/{{Road}}'' leaves his old life behind to follow the dharma after an apparition during a particularly nasty fight.
* Plays a part in Jean Valjean's rejection of a life of crime in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', although it's more the selfless altruism of the priest that shocks him. Explored in "What Have I Done":
-->''My life he claims for God above\\
Can such things be?\\
[[HollywoodAtheist For I had come to hate the world\\
This world that always hated me.]] ''
[[/folder]]

* Gloriously {{subverted}} in ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' in the backstory to the "That Which Redeems" arc. One of the masters of the [[TalkingWeapon talking sword Chaz]]'s former masters went evil until a wizard showed him the true scope of his actions. The man, seeking redemption, turned to religion. Specifically, he turned to a religion that states (in "at least in one interpretation") that anyone who DIDN'T believe in that god must be killed. [[KnightTemplar And to redeem his heinous actions, he committed even greater atrocities]] in the name of his faith. [[TitleDrop That which redeems, consumes.]]

* Sam Slater in ''Strawberry Girl'' is evil, before Brother Jackson, a traveling minister, tells him "the harm of drinkin' liquor, and of swearin' and backbitin', gossip and anger" and prays "extry hard" for him. [[spoiler: Also, Slater's family had nearly died of unspecified illness while he was away, and he became sick when he got home.]]

* In the Creator/DaleBrown novel ''Sky Masters'' General Samar used to be a brutal member of former president Marcos's SecretPolice. Then he became a Muslim and changed for the better.

* In Creator/BernardCornwell's ''Nate Starbuck'' series, set in the American Civil War, Colonel Swynyard goes through one of these when an extremely near-miss from a cannonball results in him waking up lying in the battlefield mud next to a religious pamphlet. Interestingly, this is played completely straight (and works extremely well) by an author who had, in other series, was very critical regarding the Catholic Church in the eras the books were set in (albeit still portraying individual priests as kindly or even heroic, and the Church has admitted the corruption which was very heavy at the times he wrote about).

* [[spoiler: Temple]] of Creator/JoeAbercrombie's ''Red Country''. Oh so much.

** In the ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' quest, 'Waking Nightmare', it emerges that Erandur, the priest of [[LoveGoddess Mara]] that guides you to Nightcaller Temple (to destroy Vaermina's Daedric artifact, which is causing [[YourWorstNightmare unending nightmares]] for the people of Dawnstar), used to be [[spoiler:an acolyte of Vaermina himself. When a band of Orcs (who had been plagued by nightmares set on them by Vaermina) had laid siege to the temple a decade prior, Erandur was the only one of Vaermina's followers to have escaped after releasing a [[KnockoutGas miasma]] that rendered everyone inside comatose]]. After wandering Skyrim for a few years, he was taken in by a priest of Mara, and eventually joined her clergy.

* Gloriously {{subverted}} in ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' in the backstory to the "That Which Redeems" arc. One of the masters of the [[TalkingWeapon talking sword]] [[FluffyTheTerrible Chaz's]] former masters went evil until a wizard showed him the true scope of his actions. The man, seeking redemption, turned to religion. Specifically, he turned to a religion that states (in "at least in one interpretation") that anyone who DIDN'T believe in that god must be killed. [[KnightTemplar And to redeem his heinous actions, he committed even greater atrocities in the name of his faith]]. [[TitleDrop That which redeems, consumes.]]

'''The Joker:''' ''*Starts crying*'' [[SincerityMode No...]]

* ''Series/TheEqualizer'' encounters a former terrorist turned Catholic priest and is not impressed, citing a friend who died trying to save someone from his last bombing. "I hope he's in heaven now, but don't you dare talk about meeting God!"