Civilian Villain: Difference between revisions

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In particularly tragic instances of this, the villain really does reform, but the [[Reformed but Rejected|mistrust from their environment]] (and possibly the hero in particular) convinces them it's not worth it, and they go back to villainy.
In particularly tragic instances of this, the villain really does reform, but the [[Reformed but Rejected|mistrust from their environment]] (and possibly the hero in particular) convinces them it's not worth it, and they go back to villainy.


Compare [[Heel Face Turn]], where the villain becomes an out-and-out hero. Likewise compare [[Chronic Villainy]] for when a villain sincerely attempts to reform but cannot get over his old obsessions. Also compare [[Reformed but Rejected]], where the villain really does give up his evil ways -- but the hero still doesn't believe it. See also [[Then Let Me Be Evil]], where a character becomes evil because everyone keeps assuming they that they are.
Compare [[Heel Face Turn]], where the villain becomes an out-and-out hero. Likewise compare [[Chronic Villainy]] for when a villain sincerely attempts to reform but cannot get over his old obsessions. Also compare [[Reformed but Rejected]], where the villain really does give up his evil ways—but the hero still doesn't believe it. See also [[Then Let Me Be Evil]], where a character becomes evil because everyone keeps assuming they that they are.
{{examples}}
{{examples}}


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* [[Batman]] gets this one a lot, since his theme is "justice, not vengeance" and he's contractually obligated to give people a chance, even if he doesn't believe it himself.
* [[Batman]] gets this one a lot, since his theme is "justice, not vengeance" and he's contractually obligated to give people a chance, even if he doesn't believe it himself.
** In the "Going Sane" story in ''Legends of the Dark Knight'', after the Joker thinks Batman has died, he gets plastic surgery and goes on a regime of prescription drugs to make himself look normal. In a short while, he [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|forgets all about his life as the Joker]] and turns into a shy, kindly eccentric. (Amnesia of this kind can [very rarely] happen in the [[Real Life]]. Psychologists call this "fugue".) Needless to say, this all falls apart when the Batman re-appears.
** In the "Going Sane" story in ''Legends of the Dark Knight'', after the Joker thinks Batman has died, he gets plastic surgery and goes on a regime of prescription drugs to make himself look normal. In a short while, he [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|forgets all about his life as the Joker]] and turns into a shy, kindly eccentric. (Amnesia of this kind can [very rarely] happen in the [[Real Life]]. Psychologists call this "fugue".) Needless to say, this all falls apart when the Batman re-appears.
** In one especially screwy story, an overly-suspicious Batman broke into Penguin's factory, realized Penguin wasn't doing anything wrong, and got him on a parole violation anyway--Penguin was trying to help other ex-cons go straight, but the terms of his parole were that he wasn't supposed to associate with them.
** In one especially screwy story, an overly-suspicious Batman broke into Penguin's factory, realized Penguin wasn't doing anything wrong, and got him on a parole violation anyway—Penguin was trying to help other ex-cons go straight, but the terms of his parole were that he wasn't supposed to associate with them.
*** Batman storms out of the parole board hearing, after failing to convince them that the Penguin's heart was in the right place, complaining that they won't listen. (Ironically, [[Book Ends|the story began]] with Batman storming out of the original parole hearing because they let the Penguin out in the first place.)
*** Batman storms out of the parole board hearing, after failing to convince them that the Penguin's heart was in the right place, complaining that they won't listen. (Ironically, [[Book Ends|the story began]] with Batman storming out of the original parole hearing because they let the Penguin out in the first place.)
** ''[[The Dark Knight Returns]]'' has ''two'' instances of this:
** ''[[The Dark Knight Returns]]'' has ''two'' instances of this:
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*** Also, it was the Silver Age.
*** Also, it was the Silver Age.
* Moloch from ''[[Watchmen]]''. Unfortunately for him, Rorschach never forgives a former villain, and even breaks Moloch's finger when he tries to defend himself from Ror's unjustified home invasion.
* Moloch from ''[[Watchmen]]''. Unfortunately for him, Rorschach never forgives a former villain, and even breaks Moloch's finger when he tries to defend himself from Ror's unjustified home invasion.
* A [[Pre Crisis]] Superman story had Luthor reforming after falling in love and deciding to marry. He even allowed Superman to scan his mind with a device to confirm it. Except it turned out to be a convoluted scheme even Luthor himself wasn't aware of ''[[Memory Gambit|since erasing his own memories was part of the plan]]''-- so he really DID go straight, only to return to evil when the plan failed and ended up banishing his new wife to another universe instead of Superman.
* A [[Pre Crisis]] Superman story had Luthor reforming after falling in love and deciding to marry. He even allowed Superman to scan his mind with a device to confirm it. Except it turned out to be a convoluted scheme even Luthor himself wasn't aware of ''[[Memory Gambit|since erasing his own memories was part of the plan]]''—so he really DID go straight, only to return to evil when the plan failed and ended up banishing his new wife to another universe instead of Superman.
* Among others, Captain Cold in ''[[The Flash]]'' has done this several times. On at least one occasion he even fought crime alongside the vocally suspicious Flash on the encouragement of his then-girlfriend. Then it turned out that at night she was using his equipment and costume to commit burglaries so that he would take the blame if she was ever spotted. He promptly attempted murder-suicide.
* Among others, Captain Cold in ''[[The Flash]]'' has done this several times. On at least one occasion he even fought crime alongside the vocally suspicious Flash on the encouragement of his then-girlfriend. Then it turned out that at night she was using his equipment and costume to commit burglaries so that he would take the blame if she was ever spotted. He promptly attempted murder-suicide.
* At one point, [[Superman|the Cyborg Superman]] attempted this, creating a new identity as a schoolteacher and befriending a high school student who, co-incidentally, was involved in a few of Superman's adventures, mostly those in the original post-Crisis Kandar. When his identity was revealed, he snapped and attacked, only to escape once more.
* At one point, [[Superman|the Cyborg Superman]] attempted this, creating a new identity as a schoolteacher and befriending a high school student who, co-incidentally, was involved in a few of Superman's adventures, mostly those in the original post-Crisis Kandar. When his identity was revealed, he snapped and attacked, only to escape once more.
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*** Batman recognizes that Harley is one of his few villains who isn't irredeemable, just sort of misguided and broken. [[Word of God]] is that after the {{spoiler|Joker's timely and well deserved death}}, Harley went straight and started a family.
*** Batman recognizes that Harley is one of his few villains who isn't irredeemable, just sort of misguided and broken. [[Word of God]] is that after the {{spoiler|Joker's timely and well deserved death}}, Harley went straight and started a family.
*** Indeed, ''[[Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker]]'' shows her as a stereotypical Jewish grandmother, and an extremely pissed one due to her granddaughters' fall to delinquency - in a gang called the Jokerz, no less!
*** Indeed, ''[[Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker]]'' shows her as a stereotypical Jewish grandmother, and an extremely pissed one due to her granddaughters' fall to delinquency - in a gang called the Jokerz, no less!
** In a short spinoff comic, the Scarecrow starts giving thought to his retirement plans, escapes Arkham, and goes back to teaching under a new identity - this time as an English professor, which has much less opportunity in the line of unethical experimentation. While he dislikes most of his students, he seems to be satisfied with his work otherwise, much to Batman's surprise--until he opens a can of fear gas on the [[Jerk Jock]] who abused (and [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|possibly did]] [[Date Rape|worse to]]) his favorite pupil. At the end, though Batman chides him about "reverting to type," they're ''both'' arrested.
** In a short spinoff comic, the Scarecrow starts giving thought to his retirement plans, escapes Arkham, and goes back to teaching under a new identity - this time as an English professor, which has much less opportunity in the line of unethical experimentation. While he dislikes most of his students, he seems to be satisfied with his work otherwise, much to Batman's surprise—until he opens a can of fear gas on the [[Jerk Jock]] who abused (and [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|possibly did]] [[Date Rape|worse to]]) his favorite pupil. At the end, though Batman chides him about "reverting to type," they're ''both'' arrested.
* Lex Luthor in the Cadmus story arc of ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'' does this as part of a [[Xanatos Gambit]] to discredit Superman.
* Lex Luthor in the Cadmus story arc of ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'' does this as part of a [[Xanatos Gambit]] to discredit Superman.
* About half of Sideshow Bob's appearances in ''[[The Simpsons]]''.
* About half of Sideshow Bob's appearances in ''[[The Simpsons]]''.
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* On ''[[Superfriends]]'', the Legion of Doom pulled this once. Of course since they proceeded to travel into the future because they thought the Superfriends wouldn't find them there, the viewer is left to question why.
* On ''[[Superfriends]]'', the Legion of Doom pulled this once. Of course since they proceeded to travel into the future because they thought the Superfriends wouldn't find them there, the viewer is left to question why.
* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'': Plankton pretends he changed in a convoluted charade to get Mr. Krabs's secret formula.
* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'': Plankton pretends he changed in a convoluted charade to get Mr. Krabs's secret formula.
* There was Gil from ''[[Kim Possible]]''--Everybody bought it except for Ron, which ended up being the key to his defeat.
* There was Gil from ''[[Kim Possible]]''—Everybody bought it except for Ron, which ended up being the key to his defeat.
* In ''[[Batman Beyond]]'', Mister Freeze was subjected to this after he was given an honest shot at redemption and a normal life. Few people believed he was willing to change, with the exception of Terry, as a twist (elderly Bruce seems to have witnessed this trope being averted a few too many times to believe in Freeze's reform). Couldn't make good on it though, as the technology used to heal his body...wasn't that good. He was doing fine until {{spoiler|the doctors treating him wanted to [[They Would Cut You Up|vivisect him]] to see why the treatment wasn't permanent.}}
* In ''[[Batman Beyond]]'', Mister Freeze was subjected to this after he was given an honest shot at redemption and a normal life. Few people believed he was willing to change, with the exception of Terry, as a twist (elderly Bruce seems to have witnessed this trope being averted a few too many times to believe in Freeze's reform). Couldn't make good on it though, as the technology used to heal his body...wasn't that good. He was doing fine until {{spoiler|the doctors treating him wanted to [[They Would Cut You Up|vivisect him]] to see why the treatment wasn't permanent.}}
* After being defeated the first time in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'', Doctor Octopus pretends to have returned to his original meek personality and asserts that criminal actions were the result of his tentacles forcing him into it. By doing this, it allows him to be kept at an institution under relatively low security and mastermind a break-out for his fellow villains, who, being sane, are kept in maximum security prison.
* After being defeated the first time in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'', Doctor Octopus pretends to have returned to his original meek personality and asserts that criminal actions were the result of his tentacles forcing him into it. By doing this, it allows him to be kept at an institution under relatively low security and mastermind a break-out for his fellow villains, who, being sane, are kept in maximum security prison.
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