Break the Haughty: Difference between revisions

* In ''[[Naruto]]'', Neji Hyuuga is a [[Insufferable Genius|genius who knows it]] and keeps insisting that everyone else's destiny is to lose to him. He is brought down ''hard'' by the titular character, [[Defeat Means Friendship|becoming much more likeable]].

** A quote from Kakashi, early in the series, would seem to indicate a trend:

* {{spoiler|Mikael}} from ''[[Tenshi ni Narumon]]'' {{spoiler|got thoroughly broken at the end of the series after going evil and insane over his obsession of becoming an angel, leaving him totally dependent on his teacher who still let him stew in his own juice}}. But it got subverted at the very end, because {{spoiler|his actions, however morally dubious they were, got him promoted to a position of an angel teacher}}.

* In ''[[Inuyasha]]'', [[Aloof Big Brother|Sesshoumaru's]] entire [[Character Development|journey]] is one long trip along [[Break the Haughty|this path]] until he learns the value of [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|compassion]] which enables him to [[It Was with You All Along|achieve his true power]]. He doesn't stop being [[Pride|prideful]], but he does mellow from being a [[Jerkass]] to being a [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] and move from villain to [[Anti-Hero]] status as a result.

* Lou Reed's [[Rock Opera]] ''Berlin'', where a vain woman's insistence on a "real man" ends with her [[Driven to Suicide]].

* [[Shania Twain]]'s "That Don't Impress Me Much".

* Rin/Rilliane in all the Vocaloid songs of the Story of Evil.

** In an interesting contrast, this was subverted by [[The Nostalgia Chick]]. The quasi-demonic forces of evil tried so very hard to break her down, but unlike her [[Spear Counterpart]] who falls almost instantly, she was too oblivious to even notice.

* In ''[[Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog|Doctor Horribles Sing Along Blog]]'', [[Smug Super|Captain Hammer]] is sent packing by his own arrogance when he pulls the trigger on Dr. Horrible's [[Death Ray]] despite the latter's attempt to warn him that it is malfunctioning. The explosion injures him for the first time in his life, revealing him as a [[Miles Gloriosus]] who flees upon feeling pain. He's later seen in therapy.

* [[Sir Ron Lionheart]] has always been quite the [[Large Ham|hammy]] [[Boisterous Bruiser]], [[Catch Phrase|FANTASTICALLY]] so, but after {{spoiler|Palom and Parom sacrifice themselves}} in ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'', he realizes just how deep he's dug himself.

* Marie Swanson from Erika's Old Big Sister, the sequel to [[Erikas New Perfume]], gets broken ''hard'' after having her [[Fountain of Youth|regression]] undone, due to the fact that she spent so much time at an age that suits her bratty nature and thus is unable to readjust to the life of a teenager. She gets plenty of [[Jerkass Woobie]] moments throughout the story.