History Main / ReestablishingCharacterMoment

It's important to take the time to [[EstablishingCharacterMoment establish a character's personality early on]]. Likewise, if we return to a character after a long TimeSkip, it's important to establish their character ''again''--either to show what's changed, or show what hasn't.

** ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'': In the [[AMinorKidroduction prologue with Peter Quill as a child]], Peter is shown as a tearful young boy who is overwhelmed emotionally by witnessing his mother die and then him being abducted by aliens. The time skip to him as a grown man shows him carefreely adventuring through an abandoned temple while amusing himself singing "[[{{Music/Redbone}} Come and Get Your Love]]" showing he's now thriving in interstellar space.
** ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'': As a CrisisCrossover with the previous two ''Spider-Man'' film series, the five starter villains -- Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Sandman, Lizard, and Electro -- are brought into the MCU moments before their deaths to wreak havoc on Earth-199999. However, Goblin's alter ego Norman Osborn is terrified of the monster within, Doc Ock is frustratingly trapped at the mercy of his tentacles, Sandman tries to be an active ally to Peter, Lizard just wants to turn people into lizards, and Electro is rendered into a more handsome human form with better control of his powers, eager to make a name for himself on this new world. [[spoiler:The previous two Spider-Men are also brought into the mix, with Creator/TobeyMaguire's Peter being OlderAndWiser and more at peace with himself, while Creator/AndrewGarfield's Peter is miserable over losing Gwen Stacy, and has devoted himself to the role of Spider-Man full time.]]

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'': In the first two-thirds of the Blue Lions Route, Dimitri is a pretty stereotypical "noble prince" archetype being incredibly kind and always putting his people first. However, after [[spoiler:Edelgard, Dimitri's step-sister and former friend, turns out to be the Flame Emperor, the BigBad for most of the pre-timeskip]], it triggers an extreme SanitySlippage in Dimitri that continues to corrupt him throughout the TimeSkip. When [[TheHero Byleth]] first sees him after the time skip, Dimitri is a complete wreck and a shell of his former self. His clothes are ruined, his hair is unkempt, [[BreadMilkEggsSquick and he's wearing an eyepatch]]. Upon seeing Byleth, the first thing that Dimitri tells them is to just go away, a far cry from his younger self.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Both ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' and ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' start Miles “Tails” Prower’s part of the story by having him fly a plane; however, whereas Adventure has Tails fly an unassuming biplane which he loses control of and ends up needing Sonic to come help him, carrying over his character traits from the Genesis games and setting him at the start of his character arc, Adventure 2 has him flying an experimental vehicle of his own design, which he has full control of, as part of a mission to rescue Sonic from prison, signifying that his CharacterDevelopment from Adventure has stuck. [[Main/ArsonMurderAndJaywalking He even remembered the landing gear this time]].

* Lutecia's first scene in ''[[Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid ViVid]]'' is her hamming it up while boasting to her familiar about all the modifications they've made to their house in anticipation for her friends coming to visit (complete with maniacal laughter and MilkingTheGiantCow), letting us know very quickly that she is ''not'' the same {{Emotionless|Girl}} DarkMagicalGirl she was [[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers four years prior]].

* ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'': As a sequel to ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', it marks the first time that Creator/EwanMcGregor and Creator/HaydenChristensen have played Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader since that movie. With both back in their iconic roles, Obi-Wan is a broken man, cut off from the Force and cynical about the state of the galaxy he blames for having played a role in creating, while Vader is a man fueled only by a deep-rooted hatred to see Kenobi pay for leaving him to burn on Mustafar.

** Iris, Ash's traveling companion from ''Black and White'', was a wannabe Dragon Master who's own attempts at mocking Ash for his immaturity paled in comparison to her own, having failed to establish connections with her most stubborn Pokémon. Now, [[spoiler:she's the Champion of Unova, and later returns as one of the Masters Eight just ranked ahead of Ash at Number 7.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekProdigy'': Having last been seen in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'', ''Voyager'''s former Captain, Kathryn Janeway, was one of Starfleet's most exemplary officers -- a bold, science loving Captain who was AMotherToHerMen Mother To Her Men as much as she was equally willing to raise hell to keep them alive. Now a Vice Admiral in Starfleet and in command of the ''Dauntless'', she's still very much that same person, though her new crew does have to reign her in a bit since her efforts to rescue the missing Chakotay aren't as viable to fly with Starfleet than it did in the Delta Quadrant. And her doctor isn't letting her have her coffee for the sake of her health.

** When we see the [[ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger Kyoryugers]] ten years after their series during the crossover episodes, we catch up with them as well. Souji is still a MasterSwordsman and leads the team in Daigo's absence, Nobuharu still serves as the team muscle while spewing his puns, and Ian is as quick to hit on Hymeno as he is to work on an archaeological site.

** Jeramie, however, is shown as having barely survived a CurbStompBattle, indicating his plan to integrate the Bognaarok as Tikyu's newest kingdom have hit a big snag -- and a new enemy is coming on the horizon.

** The series also introduced an OlderAndWiser version of Superman as the leader of the Justice League. He's still as charming a Boy Scout as ever, but is clad in a black and white outfit instead of his familiar red and blues. [[spoiler:He's also unknowingly under the control of an alien life form.]]

* ''Literature/LionSonOfTheForest'': It becomes clear that the Lion [[OlderAndWiser is changing his attitude]] when he starts to acknowledge [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter his own failures]] from before and during the Literature/HorusHeresy and then [[TookALevelInKindness forgives Zabriel]] after he swears he has always been loyal to the Emperor and humanity. Jonson even swears too when the Fallen demands from him to do so, admitting to himself he would have no reason to refuse to answer him except his own stubborness and pride, and that he has seen how that can [[PrideBeforeAFall end tearing a galaxy apart]].

* ''Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries'':
** Dawn, Ash's traveling companion from ''Diamond and Pearl'', returns after over 9 years to show that's she no longer the overconfident, perfectionistic Pokémon Coordinator she started out as, but has become a go-with-the-flow type of girl who's living life at her own pace with little worry about rushing.
** Serena, Ash's traveling companion from ''X and Y'', returns after a 5 year absence in "Reuniting For The First Time!" When last seen, she had just left for the Hoenn Region to starting bringing strength to others in the same way that Ash did for her, and has lived up to that goal, maturing both physically and emotionally into the woman she promised Ash she would become. In this new role, [[spoiler:she helps mentor Chloe Cerise by helping her partake in a contest.]]
** In ''Diamond and Pearl'', Paul was Ash's rival, known for being a SocialDarwinist who believed in pure strength and strategy no matter what harm it caused his Pokémon, releasing those who he believed weak and thinking Ash was a fool for just scooting by on ThePowerOfFriendship. In his return appearance as a StealthMentor to train Ash [[spoiler:for the Masters Eight]], Paul's upped his game by not only being able to perfectly replicate the strategies of ''Champions'', but he's much more respectful to his old Infernape. It's even revealed by Oak that Paul [[spoiler:has been offered a prestigious Gym Leader position.]]

* ''Anime/PokemonJourneysTheSeries'': In ''Diamond and Pearl'', Paul was Ash's rival, known for being a SocialDarwinist who believed in pure strength and strategy no matter what harm it caused his Pokémon, releasing those who he believed weak and thinking Ash was a fool for just scooting by on ThePowerOfFriendship. In his return appearance as a StealthMentor to train Ash [[spoiler:for the Masters Eight]], Paul's upped his game by not only being able to perfectly replicate the strategies of ''Champions'', but he's much more respectful to his old Infernape. It's even revealed by Oak that Paul [[spoiler:has been offered a prestigious Gym Leader position.]]

* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'': In the [[AMinorKidroduction prologue with Peter Quill as a child]], Peter is shown as a tearful young boy who is overwhelmed emotionally by witnessing his mother die and then him being abducted by aliens. The time skip to him as a grown man shows him carefreely adventuring through an abandoned temple while amusing himself singing "[[{{Music/Redbone}} Come and Get Your Love]]" showing he's now thriving in interstellar space.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': When we meet [[Characters/DCAUBatman Bruce Wayne]] [[DistantPrologue twenty years after his final battle as Batman]], he has withdrawn to Wayne Manor with no company except his [[AngryGuardDog dog Ace]]. He still has his old martial arts skills (supplemented by CaneFu), but he no longer has the stamina for an extended fight.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films — Live Action]]

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': When we meet Bruce Wayne [[DistantPrologue twenty years after his final battle as Batman]], he has withdrawn to Wayne Manor with no company except his [[AngryGuardDog dog Ace]]. He still has his old martial arts skills (supplemented by CaneFu), but he no longer has the stamina for an extended fight.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekProdigy'': Having last been seen in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'', ''Voyager'''s former Captain, Kathryn Janeway, was one of Starfleet's most exemplary officers -- a bold, science loving Captain who was a MotherToHerMen as much as she was equally willing to raise hell to keep them alive. Now a Vice Admiral in Starfleet and in command of the ''Dauntless'', she's still very much that same person, though her new crew does have to reign her in a bit since her efforts to rescue the missing Chakotay aren't as viable to fly with Starfleet than it did in the Delta Quadrant. And her doctor isn't letting her have her coffee for the sake of her health.

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': During the [[Recap/DragonBallZAndroidArc Android Arc]], there is a roughly three year TimeSkip from when Trunks first comes to the past (killing Frieza, giving medicine to Goku, and warning of the coming androids) to when Androids 19 and 20 show up. After the Z Fighters initially struggle with the androids, Vegeta arrives for the first time following the time skip. He has learned to go [[SuperMode Super Saiyan]] and effortlessly takes down 19 in a CurbStompBattle to show off his new strength.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': Before Mister Incredible got married, he worked alone. Well, tried to work alone, as he had the HeroicWannabe Buddy tagging along. Mister Incredible had to let Buddy down hard for his interference. After Mister Incredible is married, he encounters Buddy again. But Buddy has become wealthy by selling military munitions, and bears a vicious grudge against Mister Incredible. Mister Incredible gets yanked forcibly from a meeting room by the KillerRobot Omnidroid, and discovers it's the creation of Buddy, who now goes by the moniker Syndrome.

** In ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', Luke Skywalker is introduced entering Jabba's palace wearing a black hooded cloak, and easily dealing with his guards with Force chokes and a Jedi mind trick. His effortless entrance demonstrates that he's grown more skilled since his defeat in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', but also, by using the signature power of Darth Vader, that he's grown closer to the Dark Side.

** Necromancer Cyrus Rivermoore is reintroduced in the prologue, and is up to his old tricks of preying on other students in the labyrinth. [[spoiler:This foreshadows him backstabbing Alvin Godfrey at the climax of the book and stealing his sternum out of his body, setting up his promotion to ArcVillain for volume 8.]]

** The other countries, however, are represented by the retainers due to the monarchs having gotten themselves imprisoned in [[GrimUpNorth Gokkan]] due to over-indulging their vices (though in Rita's case they put themselves into jail as a way to use up their accumulated leaves).

** Will Riker, the former First Officer, was a charming, suave, but nevertheless cunning and tactically gifted officer and RenaissanceMan, known for being equally loyal and friendly as he was unpredictable in battle. He had since retired with his wife, former Councilor Deanna Troi, to Nepenthe, where his charm and observational skills hadn't dulled in the slightest. However, when he does rejoin the cast full time in Season 3, it turns out that he's become a lot more cautious due to the death of his young son, Thaddeus, and he's a lot more nihilistic about the ordeal. Deanna herself was a lot more eager to get out there and explore, but she too was gravely affected by the loss of her son, and is in notable pain about it.

** Geordi [=LaForge=] was the former Chief Engineer on both ''Enterprise''s, being eager, friendly, and very handy with any engineering equipment he could get his hands on. When he returns in Season 3, he's not so eager to chart out the Final Frontier like he used to, having gotten married and becoming a father to two daughter he's ''fiercely'' protective of. Instead, he's become Chief Curator of the Fleet Museum, restoring iconic Starfleet relics (including [[spoiler:the ''Enterprise''-D]]), not keen on adventuring. It's later implied in "Dominion" that losing his best friend, Data, is what changed his mindset.
** Speaking of Data, he was always the Android who sought to become human. While Season 1 does feature the last remaining bit of him, [[spoiler:Picard shuts him off to let him pass.]] But Season 3 reveals [[spoiler:he and his brother Lore, along with aspects of B-4 and Dr. Soong, had been put into a new android called Daystrom M-5-10, which initially partioned them off. Removing it allows Data to merge with Lore (after a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind) and give himself Data's morals with Lore's more mischievous (though thankfully not evil) traits).]]

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'': The last time any of these characters were seen outside of spin-offs before the release of this game was ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4''. Discounting the special edition re-release of the fourth game, there was a pretty big gap in-universe and out of universe between these entries, with the legacy characters getting some ways to re-establish their personalities after a long absence.
** Nero, after being an angry, brash, cocky and emotional kid from the previous game, arrives in this game even more cocky and hot-headed than before, almost similar to Dante's ''[=DMC3=]'' self. While the prologue would have shades of this, he is unceremoniously beaten by Urizen and forced to retreat. This is best seen after in the first chapter (which also takes place a month after the prologue), where he arrives in Red Grave City with Nico. Now equipped with the cybernetic Devil Breaker, he proceeds to kick all sorts of demon ass while taunting his enemies.
** The game's true antagonist [[spoiler:Vergil, after he had been gone for several years after his appearance as Mundus' servant, Nelo Angelo, in the first game, and made a brief appearance in ''[=DMC4=]'''s special edition as an extra character with some cutscenes to show where he was before the series started. His big return after V and Urizen fuse together has him effortlessly counter Dante's attacks, then tell him to heal his wounds so that he'll be strong enough to fight properly. He then leaves, thanks Nero for his help, and then climbs to the top of the Qliphoth tree and wait for Dante for their fated duel. This moment helps bring Vergil back to the forefront, show how his skill and rivalry over Dante hasn't changed a bit, but shows shades of his newfound humanity he experienced as V, thanking his son (that he didn't know at the time) for his help, when initially he was all about power that he covets for himself back in ''3'']].
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'': In the first two thirds of the Blue Lions Route, Dimitri is a pretty stereotypical "noble prince" archetype being incredibly kind and always putting his people first. However, after [[spoiler:Edelgard, Dimitri's step-sister and former friend, turns out to be the Flame Emperor, the BigBad for most of the pre-timeskip]], it triggers an extreme SanitySlippage in Dimitri that continues to corrupt him throughout the TimeSkip. When [[TheHero Byleth]] first sees him after the time skip, Dimitri is a complete wreck and a shell of his former self. His clothes are ruined, his hair is unkempt, [[BreadMilkEggsSquick and he's wearing an eyepatch]]. Upon seeing Byleth, the first thing that Dimitri tells them is to just go away, a far cry from his younger self.

* ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'': Throughout the original ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' trilogy, Phoenix Wright is portrayed unambiguously as a LawfulGood CrusadingLawyer. After a 7-year time skip, he is reestablished as a disgraced former lawyer who had been stripped of his badge. He then solidifies this new morally-ambiguous perception by [[spoiler:knowingly giving Apollo forged evidence to expose a murderer,]] a tactic which would have been unthinkable before his disbarment.

[[/folder]]

It's important to take the time to [[EstablishingCharacterMoment establish a character's personality early on]]. Likewise, if we return to a character after a long TimeSkip, it's important establish their character ''again''--either to show what's changed, or show what hasn't.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Toph Beifong was a small blind girl who was also a BoisterousBruiser with a propensity for [[TheNicknamer giving out stupid nicknames]]. When Korra finds her in the swamp, she greets her using the nickname she had for Korra's [[{{Reincarnation}} previous incarnation]], then proceeds to spend the day kicking her around the swamp as "training" and laughing her ass off about it.

[[folder:Films - Animated]]

[[folder:Films - Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

!!Launching 10/9 if there are no objections