Rescued From the Scrappy Heap/Playing With

Basic Trope: A character who was previously disliked by the public gets rewritten in a way that it becomes likable.

Straight: Prince Raphael is a Jerk Sue Rich Bitch who uses his authority to force his Love Interest Elise to play Extreme Doormat -- and yet is supposed to be one of the good guys because he's not as corrupt as his peers. This doesn't go over well with fans. Thus, Raphael has a Heel Realization when faced with evidence that he's Not So Different from his peers, and works to improve and prove himself worthy of Elise's affection.
Exaggerated: To make him more sympathic to fans, Prince Raphael is seriously wounded in an assassination attempt. Then Duke Delivn approaches him with proof of Raphael's dealings with La Résistance and threatens to expose him, unless he does a few favors for him. Raphael chooses his friends over his wealth and is subsequently stripped of his title, joining the rebellion as an exile having to learn how to fight to survive.
Up To 11: Prince Raphael's Character Development is so well done, he ends up becoming a Ensemble Darkhorse.
Justified: The writers where responding to angry fan mail
Inverted: A character who is very liked becomes The Scrappy.
Subverted: Prince Raphael is abruptly killed by a political rival in an assassination attempt; Elise's reaction is heartbreaking.
Double Subverted: However, Raphael turns out to be Not Quite Dead, and the Near-Death Experience leaves him so shaken that he resolves to become a much better person.
Parodied: Prince Raphael is shown sneaking off to a fan convention to ask how to improve the "Prince Raphael" character.
Deconstructed: Though Raphael goes through Character Development and becomes a much better, more liked person, the very vocal Fan Dumb refuses to recognize this and continues to bay for his blood. Eventually, the writers listen and kill him off, much to the dismay of those who actually liked his character arc. This becomes a Base Breaker.
Reconstructed: Despite the vocal Fan Dumb, Raphael's Character Development is recognized by the majority of fans and helps to redeem him for his past Jerkassery that annoyed his fans.
Zig Zagged: Raphael goes through Character Development and seems to become a better character, but then returns to his original characterization in the next episode . . . only for the next one to treat him with his improved character again.
Averted: Raphael remains The Scrappy.
- Raphael was never The Scrappy.
Enforced: "Look, the fans hate Raphael and it's hurting our ratings! If you won't kill him off, at least make him more likeable!"
Lampshaded:

Marcy: "I like you a lot better now that you're not a big selfish jerk!"
Raphael: "...Well... thank you...?"

Invoked: Raphael discovers that he isn't very well liked, and resolves to change himself to improve his reputation.
Defied: Raphael is given the opportunity to change and become a more likeable person, but absolutely refuses to take advantage of it.
- Raphael is killed off before he is liked by the fanbase.
Discussed: "You know, ever since Raphael survived that assassination attempt, he's become a lot more humble and good, don't you think?"
Conversed: "Wow, and to think I used to hate this character."
Played For Laughs: Raphael goes from the rebellion's Jerkassy contact in the court to a lowly Butt Monkey just now learning his way around a sword, with everyone he mocked before taking advantage of this to get a little good-spirited revenge in.
Played For Drama: Raphael's poor treatment of Elise was having a major effect on her self-confidence, so she broke up with him; after his Character Development kicks in, he tries to win her back from Bentley, causing stress within the team (and Die for Our Ship in fandom). There's also the fact that Raphael, for all his flaws, was the rebellion's only hope of reforming the system from within; his fall from grace effectively cuts off that option, making further conflict all but unavoidable.
Plotted A Good Waste: Raphael's fall from grace and having to build himself back up was planned from the start; he was deliberately established as an annoying person early on so that his Character Development would have more resonance.

Back to Rescued from the Scrappy Heap.