History Main / RegretfulTraitor

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', there are a couple of those. [[spoiler: Peter Pettigrew showed some remorse, and of course there is Severus Snape's betrayal of the Potters, though he only regretted having caused Lily's death.]]

[[AC: {{Film}} - Live Action]]
* In ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', After the Empire arrives in Cloud City, Lando is forced to betray his old friend Han Solo by having him frozen in carbonite. Lando later makes up for it, however, by giving Leia and Chewie time to escape Cloud City.

* [[spoiler: [[YouAreNumberSix Five]]]] in [[LorienLegacies Lorien Legacies]].

* ''Literature/DragonBones'' has Ward betraying the dragons again, after his ancestors did it once. His reasons are honourable, he just thinks some old dragon bones are not worth the lives of many human beings. In the end, he does the right thing, after someone explains to him just how dangerous dragon bones can be in the wrong hands. He sadly thinks about how people will remember him; a traitor of his duty (which was to protect the dragons).
* In ''Literature/DragonBlood'' there is [[spoiler: Garranon]], who apologizes immediately after giving [[spoiler: Ward]] a drugged drink of water.

* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', [[spoiler:Hollyleaf]] murdered [[spoiler:Ashfur]] to avoid him revealing to the Clans that she's the product of a forbidden relationship, and later fled the Clan and was believed to be dead. There is a novella that documents her life outside the Clan as she begins to regret her actions and forgive her birth mother, but feels that she cannot return, so she tries to help from afar by leaving them medicinal herbs and prey. [[spoiler:Eventually she does return, after saving the lives of some [=ThunderClanners=].]]
* In ''Literature/CodexAlera'', Fidaleus betrays the First Lord to prevent what he views as inevitable civil war when he dies with no heir. When a suitable heir reveals himself, he wishes to preserve the house of Gaius.
* As of ''Literature/{{Transitions}}'' Jarlaxle has betrayed [[spoiler: Entreri to the Netherese]] somewhere between books. His original plan was to betray him, then later rescue him, when he had his resources in place again. Unfortunately, he was outmaneuvered by [[spoiler: Quenthel and Kimmuriel]], who made him forget about the incident. Apparently he has regained his memories now and is deeply regretful of his actions and seeks to mend things with [[spoiler: Entreri]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. In "24 Minutes" (a parody of ''Series/TwentyFour''), Martin Prince gives himself a wedgie - in-universe, the equivalent of hanging himself - after he's forced to be TheMole.
* Sunset Shimmer apologizes at the end of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' and asks the Mane 6 for their forgiveness. Furthermore, the entire sequel ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'' deals with her seeking forgiveness from the rest of Canterlot High. Although her original FaceHeelTurn is not shown on screen, she is nonetheless a traitor from Celestia’s point of view, and sees herself as one in Rainbow Rocks too.
* Discord in ''[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E25TwilightsKingdomPart1 Twilight’s]]'' ''[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E26TwilightsKingdomPart2 Kingdom]]'' also fits the bill. He teams up with Tirek, thus betraying all of Equestria, but later realizes that his friendship with Fluttershy was more important to him after he is himself betrayed by Tirek.

** Susie in ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' falls into this category, as well. Her original intention upon stealing Star Dream's program controller is to sell it off for profit and teach her former boss a lesson. [[MyGodWHatHaveIDone She winds up regretting this after]] [[AIIsACrapshoot Star Dream winds up absorbing Haltmann's consciousness and condemning all organic life in the universe,]] entrusting Kirby with the means to stop the machine and leaving her in the end with no computer, no profit, and the knowledge that [[spoiler: she caused the death of her own father.]]

* Magolor is heavily implied to be this in ''VideoGame/{{Kirbys Return to DreamLand}}''. The description of his OneWingedAngel form is ''A sad shell possessed by the limitless power of the Master Crown, no more than a manifestation of the crown itself.'' He later reforms in the 20th Anniversary collection, though.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. In "24 Minutes" (a parody of 24), Martin Prince gives himself a wedgie - in-universe, the equivalent of hanging himself - after he's forced to be TheMole.

* LovableRogue Yoshimo from [[VideoGame/BaldursGate Baldurs Gate 2]] turns out to be [[TheMole a mole]] planted in the party by [[BigBad Irenicus]], and he is ''not'' happy about this in the least. Unfortunately he's under a {{Geas}}; a very powerful one at that, one that wont just kill him, but cause severe agony if he tries to disobey, so there's not a damn thing he can do about it. He's forced to betray the party once they arrive at Spellhold, and eventually meets his end when Irenicus sics him and the other servants on you to cover his escape.

* LovableRogue Yoshimo from [[BaldursGate Baldurs Gate 2]] turns out to be [[TheMole a mole]] planted in the party by [[BigBad Irenicus]], and he is ''not'' happy about this in the least. Unfortunately he's under a {{Geas}}; a very powerful one at that, one that wont just kill him, but cause severe agony if he tries to disobey, so there's not a damn thing he can do about it. He's forced to betray the party once they arrive at Spellhold, and eventually meets his end when Irenicus sics him and the other servants on you to cover his escape.

* Main/TheBible has the story of Judas Iscariot, who hanged himself after his betrayal of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes, after a traitor makes their FaceHeelTurn, they might, after some time, regret their treachery. The reasons for this may be that things didn't quite go according to plan, they realized that BeingEvilSucks, they were TrappedInVillainy, or maybe fate forced them to betray their allies. Whatever the cause, a Regretful Traitor is likely to apologize later on or in rare cases, even ask for forgiveness from their former allies. However, [[HeelFaceDoorSlam their former allies may not be ready to forgive them so soon]].

Sometimes, after a traitor makes their FaceHeelTurn, they might, after some time, regret their treachery. The reasons for this may be that things didn't quite go according to plan, they realized that BeingEvilSucks, or maybe fate forced them to betray their allies. Whatever the cause, a Regretful Traitor is likely to apologize later on or in rare cases, even ask for forgiveness from their former allies. However, [[HeelFaceDoorSlam their former allies may not be ready to forgive them so soon]].

Sometimes, after a traitor makes their FaceHeelTurn, they might, after some time, regret their treachery. The reasons for this may be that things didn't quite go according to plan, they realized that BeingEvilSucks, or maybe fate forced them to betray their allies. Whatever the cause, a Regretful Traitor is likely to apologize later on or in rare cases, even ask for forgiveness from their former allies.

* In ''Film/{{The Empire Strikes Back}}'', After the Empire arrives in Cloud City, Lando is forced to betray his old friend Han Solo by having him frozen in carbonite. Lando later makes up for it, however, by giving Leia and Chewie time to escape Cloud City.

* Sunset Shimmer apologizes at the end of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' and asks the Mane 6 for their forgiveness. Furthermore, the entire sequel ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'' deals with her seeking forgiveness from the rest of Canterlot High.

* Discord in ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E25TwilightsKingdomPart1 Twilight’s]]'' ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E26TwilightsKingdomPart2 Kingdom]]'' also fits the bill. He teams up with Tirek, thus betraying all of Equestria, but later realizes that his friendship with Fluttershy was more important to him after he is himself betrayed by Tirek.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'', Wheatley feels this way after you launch him into space.

* Main/TheBible has the story of Judas Iscariot, who hung himself after his betrayal of Jesus Christ.

* In ''Literature/{{Dune}}'', Dr. Yueh is truly regretful for betraying the Atreides. The Harkonnens forced him into treason by kidnapping his wife and threatening to torture or kill her if he didn't agree.

* In ''Literature/DragonBlood'' there is [[spoiler Garranon]], who apologizes immediately after giving [[spoiler: Ward]] a drugged drink of water.