History Main / WelcomeBackTraitor

* In ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of the 2nd season finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Twilight Sparkle disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for [[MadeOutToBeAJerkass abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal]] and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that the BigBad [[spoiler: Jewelius has been [[CorruptTheCutie manipulating her into giving up on her loved ones]], trying to kill Cadence, and is [[EvilAllAlong the true mastermind]] behind the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive JerkassRealization, and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends reconcile with her loved ones and bring the villain down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they share a lot of the blame in leaving her susceptible to [[spoiler:Jewelius']] manipulations and because they're just glad to have her back.

* In ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of the 2nd season finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Twilight Sparkle disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for [[MadeOutToBeAJerkass abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal]] and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that the BigBad [[spoiler: Jewelius has been [[CorruptTheCutie manipulating her into giving up on her loved ones]], trying to kill Cadence, and is [[EvilAllAlong the true mastermind]] behind the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive JerkassRealization, and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends reconcile with her loved ones and bring the villain down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they left her susceptible to [[spoiler:Jewelius']] manipulations and because they're just glad to have her back.

* In ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of the 2nd season finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Twilight Sparkle disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for [[MadeOutToBeAJerkass abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal]] and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that the BigBad [[spoiler: Jewelius has been [[CorruptTheCutie manipulating her into giving up on her loved ones]], trying to kill Cadence, and is [[EvilAllAlong the true mastermind]] behind the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive JerkassRealization, and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends reconcile with her loved ones and bring the villain down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they share some of the blame in leaving her susceptible to [[spoiler:Jewelius']] manipulations and because they're just glad to have her back.

* In ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of the 2nd season finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Twilight Sparkle disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for [[MadeOutToBeAJerkass abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal]] and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that the BigBad [[spoiler: Jewelius has been [[CorruptTheCutie manipulating her into giving up on her loved ones]], trying to kill Cadence, and is [[EvilAllAlong the true mastermind]] behind the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive JerkassRealization, and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends reconcile with her loved ones and bring [[spoiler:Jewelius]] down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they share some of the blame in leaving her susceptible to [[spoiler:Jewelius']] manipulations and because they're just glad to have her back.

* Occurs in ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of the 2nd season finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** Twilight disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that the [[BigBad]] [[spoiler: Jewelius has been manipulating her into giving up on her friends, trying to kill Cadence, and is the true mastermind behind the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive [[JerkassRealization]] and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends Reconcile with her loved ones and bring Jewlius down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they share some of the blame in leaving her susceptible to [[spoiler:Jewelius']] manipulations and because they're just glad to have her back.

** Twilight disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that the [[BigBad]] [[spoiler: Jewelius has been manipulating her into giving up on her friends, trying to kill Cadence, and enabling the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive [[JerkassRealization]] and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends Reconcile with her loved ones and bring Jewlius down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they share some of the blame in leaving her susceptible to [[spoiler:Jewelius']] manipulations and because they're just glad to have her back.

* Occurs in ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'', an extended retelling of the 2nd season finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Twilight disowns her friends, mentor, and brother for abandoning her at the wedding rehearsal and leaves them to be apprehended. Later on, she discovers that [[spoiler: Jewelius has been manipulating her into giving up on her friends, trying to kill Cadence, and enabling the invasion of Canterlot]]. This causes her to have a massive [[JerkassRealization]] and she flees to Ponyville with the Elements of Harmony to [[MustMakeAmends Reconcile with her loved ones and bring Jewlius down]]. Much to Twilight's surprise, the other heroes are forgive her instantly and welcome her back with open arms because they acknowledge that they share a lot of the blame for her weakened faith in them and they're just glad to have her back.

* In ''ComicBook/XMen'', Colossus, driven by grief over the death of his sister, betrayed the team and joined Magneto's Acolytes. He later left the Acolytes (mainly just because the Acolytes had disbanded) and visited the X-Men's England-based sister team ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}, where he beat up Pete Wisdom for no good reason (Pete was dating Colossus' ex-girlfriend at the time). Despite all this, Excalibur welcomed him into their team, and he later rejoined the X-Men after Excalibur broke up.

** Alcibiades was the FourStarBadass that every other FourStarBadass of City-state era Greece aspired to emulate, the Alexander of his day, if you will. The Athenian Navy was made of win with him in command, and when he returned, he did so in magnificent fashion by whipping them back into shape, scoring magnificent victory after magnificent victory, and saving the Athenian war effort. Had he not had ChronicBackstabbingDisorder, he likely would have won Athens the war, he was ''that'' good. Athens, consequently, was a bit HotAndCold for him.

* ''Webcomic/DemonFist'': [[spoiler: Capen]] realizes that having faith may have saved him when Jabob risks his life to save him even after betraying the hookshot pirates.Then gets [[RedmeptionEqualsDeath killed]], leading to a BerzerkButton sequence.

[[folder: Web Comics ]]
* in DemonFist, [[spoiler: Capen]] realizes that having faith may have saved him when Jabob risks his life to save him even after betraying the hookshot pirates.Then gets [[RedmeptionEqualsDeath killed]], leading to a BerzerkButton sequence.

* Tiren from ''Webcomic/DubiousCompany'' has a brief stint in [[ArchEnemy Kreedor's elite guard]]. It plays out much like [[Literature/TheBible The Prodigal Son]], with the pirates [[TrueCompanions unquestioningly]] [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming welcoming]] her back.

** Really, all of France got this at the Congress of Vienna. Considering that the French Revolution betrayed all the principles of Europe (religion, monarchy, aristocracy), [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome the fact that they were accepted back into regular Europe so easily is amazing]].

* ''Film/SuperTroopers'': [[spoiler:Farva]].
** [[spoiler:Farva]] might be a subversion. He became a cop long before the others, and his actions in the finale of the film would have made him a hero in the precinct. No doubt the [[spoiler:former highway patrolers]] had no choice but to work with him once more.

In a sudden and shocking betrayal, TheMole reveals himself, screws over the rest of the team, and runs off to go change sides. Except... he doesn't really run off. Maybe he was under MindControl, and snaps out of it soon after. Or maybe he was just temporarily misguided, and once the team either [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight talks him down]] or [[DefeatMeansFriendship beats some sense into him]], he reverts. Or maybe he has a change of heart shortly after the betrayal, and has a HeelFaceTurn for real. No matter the circumstances, the guy who just backstabbed the party five minutes ago is welcomed back with open arms, and the whole incident is quickly put behind them. Yay for party unity!

** And in ''Literature/StarWarsAllegiance''--note how many of these were written by Creator/TimothyZahn--five stormtroopers [[HeelRealization realize that they can't support what the Empire has become]], leave, and wander about in a stolen ship, [[GoodFeelsGood trying to do good]]. They don't join the Rebellion, since they see the Rebels as basically neo-Seperatists and terrorists. But they do leave, which is unheard of, and they get in the way of a lot of local Imperial plans. In [[Literature/ChoicesOfOne the sequel]], it's said that Thrawn catches them and brings them into the Empire of the Hand.

* This happens numerous times in the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse.''

** In the ComicBook/XWingSeries comics, AcePilot Soontir Fel, the best Imperial pilot since Vader's death, [[DefectorFromDecadence defects]] to the Rebel Alliance, where his brother-in-law Wedge Antilles welcomes him. Not long after the comic ended Fel vanished; in ''Iron Fist'' and ''Solo Command'' he seemed to be working with an Imperial offshoot, but this was an actor. What happened to him has been written but is in DevelopmentHell. In the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology it's seen that the Empire of the Hand, a pragmatic but good Imperial offshoot, kidnapped and persuaded him to join. The same duology has that fairer, more cautious offshoot of the Empire try to recruit Mara Jade, who had been forced away from the Empire by treachery. Unfortunately the way they did this involved violence when she refused, even if they weren't shooting to kill, and so of course it didn't work.
** The Empire of the Hand makes another, much better offer to her in ''Literature/SurvivorsQuest'' when she, Luke, one of Fel's sons, and [[BadassCrew four incredibly badass Hand stormtroopers]] are sent to visit the ruins of Literature/OutboundFlight. But while Mara sees that this Empire has virtually everything she loved about the one she served [[Literature/{{Allegiance}} way back when]] and virtually none of the things she found reprehensible, she doesn't go to them, because that idea was DoomedByCanon.
** And in ''Literature/{{Allegiance}}'' -- note how many of these were written by Creator/TimothyZahn -- five stormtroopers [[HeelRealization realize that they can't support what the Empire has become]], leave, and wander about in a stolen ship, [[WeHelpTheHelpless trying to do good]]. They don't join the Rebellion, since they see the Rebels as basically neo-Seperatists and terrorists. But they do leave, which is unheard of, and they get in the way of a lot of local Imperial plans. In the sequel, it's said that Thrawn catches them and brings them into the Empire of the Hand.

* In the Sith Warrior storyline of ''Videogame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', [[spoiler:Malavai Quinn]] eventually betrays you under [[spoiler:Darth Baras']] orders. Upon his defeat, you can either forgive him or angrily tell him that [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou you're only letting him back in because he's useful]]; there's no real option to actually execute him. Considering that [[spoiler:he's the healer of your group]], losing him would be a big issue gameplay-wise.

* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII'': [[spoiler:Garr]], although the entire second half of the game is devoted to [[spoiler:[[TheAtoner Garr making amends for trying to kill you on orders and trying to get to the bottom of why he was given those orders,]] even leading to him challenging his own [[WellIntentionedExtremist goddess]]]].
* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'': [[spoiler:Scias]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'': [[spoiler:Leon, the Dark Knight]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'': [[spoiler:Yang]], [[spoiler:Kain turned and came back ''twice'' - although the second time, Edge refused to trust him and Kain outright asked to be killed if he was brainwashed again]].
** [[spoiler:Yang had amnesia and was being manipulated by Baron while he lost his memory. The only party member who holds this against him is BrattyHalfPint Palom]].
*** In Palom's defense, when someone repeatedly kicks you in the head when you first meet them, it's probably not conducive to offering your total trust and respect right away.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': [[spoiler:Yuffie]], [[spoiler:Cait Sith]]. In the latter's case, the moment of turning is just a short chase segment and brief cutscene in which you don't have access to the party command, and thus, it's entirely possible that the time before [[spoiler:Cait's]] WelcomeBackTraitor moment is so brief that [[spoiler:he]] literally never even left.
** Though at least [[spoiler:Cait Sith]]'s is justified in that he threatens to kill a hostage if the heroes don't let him keep tagging along. His full forgiveness doesn't come until later.
** [[spoiler:Yuffie]] forces [[spoiler:herself]] back into the group.
** A Mind Control example of this happens when [[spoiler: Cloud gives the Black Materia to Sephiroth.]]

* If you are kind enough to [[spoiler:Isabela]] in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', [[spoiler: she]] will come back after [[spoiler:making off with the Tome of Koslun]]. This is a more realistic example, however, as it takes three years of separation for Hawke & Co. to forgive [[spoiler:her]].
** In the finale, there are different ways you can handle [[spoiler: Anders]], depending on whose side you take in [[spoiler: the mage-templar war. If you side with the templars, you can either convince him to join you (which requires full rivalry) or kill him - telling him to leave just means you kill him later when he tries to stop you. If you side with the mages, you can kill him, have him join you, or tell him to leave. He'll find you at the Gallows and offer to help, giving you another leave / join choice.]]

** At least it was until [[spoiler:Danzo was made the Sixth Hokage candidate, and his first act was to make Sasuke a missing-nin, which means he's a criminal with a bounty on his head. However, he is dead now and the current decision on Sasuke is unknown.]]

* Thoroughly averted with Hal Jordan. He becomes Parallax, wrecks the Green Lantern Corps, then dies and comes back good. Most of the Corps ''still'' doesn't trust him. The Lost Lanterns, who he had previously attacked and left stranded, tried to kill him ''when he had just rescued them from {{A Fate Worse Than Death}}''.

* Ratbeard from {{Pirate101}} betrays the player and the other member of the crew sent to find Captain Gunn's treasure in order to claim it for himself. While he's running from the player he even poisons his own crew for a larger share. [[spoiler: The killing his own crew part was an accident, someone had replaced his knockout drops with poison.]] But once the player saves his hide after his new allies betray him, he begs for forgiveness and the player lets him join their crew.

* [[spoiler: Theresa]] was forgiven pretty quickly at the end of ''{{Class of the Titans}}''.

* After being outed as the mole, Skitter from ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' is welcomed back by the Undersiders, though it took Bitch and Grue a long time to forgive her.
* Creator/AchievementHunter had an "arc" like this - Creator/GavinFree had been costing Team Lads a number of victories in ''[[LetsPlay/AchievementHunterGrandTheftAutoSeries Let's Play Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' "Cops n' Crooks III" and told leader Michael Jones and member Ray Narvaez, Jr., that he was trying to spice things up because they kept winning against Team Gents [[VictoryIsBoring and he felt things were getting stale]]. during the following episode "Cannon Ball Run". Michael is so incensed at this, he kicks Gavin off of Team Lads. When Gavin helps Team Lads win [[LetsPlay/AchievementHunterMinecraftSeries Let's Play Minecraft]] "Lava Wall", Michael brings him back in, proclaiming that "it was only temporary."

** In the ComicBook/XWingSeries comics, AcePilot Soontir Fel, the best Imperial pilot since Vader's death, [[DefectorFromDecadence defects]] to the Rebel Alliance, where his brother-in-law Wedge Antilles welcomes him. Not long after the comic ended Fel vanished; in ''Iron Fist'' and ''Solo Command'' he seemed to be working with an Imperial offshoot, but this was an actor. What happened to him has been written but is in DevelopmentHell. In the HandOfThrawn duology it's seen that the Empire of the Hand, a pragmatic but good Imperial offshoot, kidnapped and persuaded him to join. The same duology has that fairer, more cautious offshoot of the Empire try to recruit Mara Jade, who had been forced away from the Empire by treachery. Unfortunately the way they did this involved violence when she refused, even if they weren't shooting to kill, and so of course it didn't work.

** The most blatant example is Luke's apprentice [[JediAcademyTrilogy Kyp Durron]], a former slave who turns to the dark side, destroys [[strike:a star system]] a handful star systems including a major populated one, comes back, and eventually becomes a Jedi Master. Subverted in the paraquel ''I, Jedi'', where the protagonist repeatedly and with great alarm calls KarmaHoudini.

* In the ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' [=/=] ''VideoGame/{{Iji}}'' fanfic ''TroperWorks/SoldiersOfLove'', after Yukabacera's betrayal, the heroes decide to keep him in the party for pragmatic reasons (but deprive him of weapons). But soon afterwards he is accidentally left behind as they flee from Kiron, and they have to decide whether to go back for him, which would involve risking their lives. Since it's on this page, you can guess what they decide. Incidentally, he later repays them by [[spoiler:saving all their lives and helping to defeat TheDragon Iosa for them]].

* In the ''Franchise/SailorMoon''[=/=]''VideoGame/{{Iji}}'' fanfic ''TroperWorks/SoldiersOfLove'', after Yukabacera's betrayal, the heroes decide to keep him in the party for pragmatic reasons (but deprive him of weapons). But soon afterwards he is accidentally left behind as they flee from Kiron, and they have to decide whether to go back for him, which would involve risking their lives. Since it's on this page, you can guess what they decide. Incidentally, he later repays them by [[spoiler:saving all their lives and helping to defeat TheDragon Iosa for them]].

* In the ''Franchise/SailorMoon''[=/=]''VideoGame[=/=]{{Iji}}'' fanfic ''TroperWorks/SoldiersOfLove'', after Yukabacera's betrayal, the heroes decide to keep him in the party for pragmatic reasons (but deprive him of weapons). But soon afterwards he is accidentally left behind as they flee from Kiron, and they have to decide whether to go back for him, which would involve risking their lives. Since it's on this page, you can guess what they decide. Incidentally, he later repays them by [[spoiler: saving all their lives and helping to defeat TheDragon Iosa for them]].