Character Development is when a character grows as an individual over the course of the story e.g. a jerk becomes more empathetic. However, sometimes, writers will be faced with the question of what to do with a character after their development. One solution is to reduce their role, but another is to revert them to an earlier stage in their development e.g. a reformed jerk becomes a jerk again. This is character regression.
Character regression most commonly occurs in long-running series, for two main reasons:
- The most common reason for character regression is that the series enjoys such widespread popularity that it runs for longer than the creator intended, and as a result, continues past the point where a character's initial arc is completed. Regression is especially likely if the character in question is still popular with audiences, dissuading writers and/or executives from retiring them. Regressing the character maintains the status quo audiences fell in love with. This ties into the Fleeting Demographic Rule, where writers assume that their current audience is no longer the original one, and therefore it's acceptable to recycle scripts.
- A new writer joins the team, and the character regression in their scripts is a result of their inexperience with how the characters are currently written. Alternatively, the new writer believes a character was better before their development e.g. a jerk was more interesting before they mellowed out into a kinder person, in which case the regression is deliberate. When this happens, there's likely to be disagreement between the writers, resulting in the character's personality shifting depending on who's writing them.
The main difference between character regression and Aesop Amnesia is that the former is a spectrum, meaning it can, but does not always, reset development entirely. One solution to the question of what to do with a character after their arc is over, is to find a middle ground between their pre- and post-development selves e.g. a reformed jerk returns to being a jerk, but isn't as unpleasant as they were before their initial development and sometimes shows a kinder side.
Nevertheless, character regression is often a source of frustration for audiences who have grown attached to characters they've followed for years, because it feels like the writers aren't sure what to do with them anymore. As a result, character regression carries a negative connotation and often results in a perception of Seasonal Rot. However, keep in mind that regression doesn't automatically ruin a character or series for everyone. In fact, sometimes it improves a character, especially if a key character trait is that they are someone who struggles to change.
If the character remains regressed by the ending, it's a Circular Character Arc. It's also possible for the regression to be temporary, allowing the character to develop again. See also Emotional Regression, for when a character mentally regresses in response to trauma; and Character Check, for when a character briefly shows traits and habits in line with their past selves without losing their development.
Compare Aesop Amnesia, Emotional Regression, and Circular Character Arc. Contrast Character Development. Compare and contrast Flanderization, Temporarily Exaggerated Trait, the Ball Index, Character Check, Character Derailment, and Character Rerailment.
Examples:
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Anime & Manga
- Chainsaw Man: In Part 1, Denji matures from a manic, hedonistic horndog to a tired but experienced Knight in Sour Armor (who is still very much looking for a girlfriend, but also has to balance being a vigilante, highschool student, and a single dad). However, following his adopted daughter, Nayuta's death in Part 2, he blatantly regresses from the traits he learns, which starts when he proudly exclaims that base pleasures still make life worth living while pulling himself out of a rut. While this does bring him back from the brink of despair, he's also far more swayed by his hormones in the aftermath (despite previously learning that that's stupid), which is most notable in his second confrontation against the Falling Devil, where he's stunned by her Impossible Hourglass Figure. For reference, their first confrontation had no indication that he had even registered what she looked like.
Denji, Chapter 125: You stole those apples, apple thief!
Denji, Chapter 206: You...! [zoom in on Falling's torso] Chest... Woman... - Pokémon the Series:
- Ash Ketchum started The Original Series as a hot-headed, temperamental kid, but by the end of Diamond and Pearl, he had matured into a wiser, more empathetic individual. His skills as a Pokémon Trainer also gradually improved. However, Black & White—as part of an attempt to Soft Reboot the anime—regressed both his personality and competence; he became childish again and made several amateurish mistakes (e.g., forgetting how to catch a Pokémon properly, bringing one Pokémon to a Gym Battle out of overconfidence that it could solo Elesa's entire team). This has been interpreted as an attempt to pander to fans of The Original Series, but was poorly received due to the contrast with his development in previous installments, unlike The Original Series where his immaturity made sense. XY restored his maturity and competence, while Sun & Moon and Journeys found a better-received middle ground between his mature and comedic selves.
- Throughout XY, Alain learns to overcome his obsession with being the strongest after pushing away loved ones and nearly destroying the world, even giving up his Transformation Trinket to the police as part of his resolve to start anew. By Journeys, however, he has largely reverted to the brooding loner he was, declaring his ultimate goal to be surpassing Leon while barely acknowledging Ash, the person who taught him otherwise.
Comic Books
- Spider-Man:
- From the comic's inception in 1962, Peter Parker steadily matured from an arrogant boy who used his powers to make money into a responsible man who fought crime, eventually marrying Mary Jane Watson and becoming a science teacher. Many stories from this period focused on his struggles to balance his responsibilities as a husband and teacher with his superhero life. Then, in 2007, the story, One More Day, had him make a deal with Mephisto, saving the life of his elderly Aunt May in exchange for his marriage—and the growth that came with it—being erased from history. The story was intended to return Peter to his roots as a single, younger person, as executives at Marvel Comics believed the character was no longer relatable to audiences, but it received an icy reception, and debate over whether Peter ever recovered continues to this day.
- Longtime foe Sandman performed a Heel–Face Turn in the '70s and went legit, eventually joining The Avengers in the '80s. However, there was an interest at Marvel in returning him to Spider-Man's rogues gallery, so his sometimes partner the Wizard used a device to brainwash him into forgetting that he'd ever been a hero.
- Venom: Over the course of the 1990s, Eddie Brock developed from a revenge-obsessed supervillain into a well-meaning, but unstable, Anti-Hero. However, in the late 1990s, there was a push to revert him back to basics, with Eddie sustaining amnesia during an altercation with Spider-Man, eating the Carnage symbiote to be the only symbiote supervillain, and swearing revenge on Spider-Man after his wife, Anne Weying, committed suicide.
Fan Works
- Unbreakable Red Silken Thread: While still the same for the most part, Gwen has lost her strong independent streak due to her less than healthy relationship with Duncan. Even less outgoing and social than she was during TDI, she's also lost the majority of her conscience, or at the very least tends to ignore it now. For the most part her life revolves around Duncan and their relationship, with everything else seen as a distraction or a hindrance if not a problem to be removed.
Films — Live-Action
- The Fate of the Furious has Hobbs and Shaw start off as antagonistic to each other but eventually get on, becoming Fire-Forged Friends chasing Cipher (the two notably share a laugh over the ridiculousness of each other's threats at one point). Hobbs & Shaw ignores this bonding in favor of playing up the two's verbal sparring and bickering like their jail scenes in Fate to the point that they initially can barely stand to be in the same room.
Literature
- The works of Enid Blyton:
- In the Amelia Jane books, several stories end with the titular character getting A Taste Of Her Own Medicine after the other toys become fed up with her mischief, and resolving to be nicer. This never lasts, but while some stories begin with the large doll forgetting her promises, others begin with her actively choosing to be naughty again simply because she got tired of being nice.
- Malory Towers: During the first half of the fourth book, Upper Fourth at Malory Towers, Felicity is too trusting of June, and doesn't realise how manipulative she is until she tries to sneak about the fourth form's midnight feast and brags about provoking Darrell into physically attacking her—thus forcing her to resign as head-girl of the form—because she forgot that Darrell is Felicity's sister. Upon hearing June's bragging, Felicity stands up to her and ends their friendship. However, during the sixth and final book, Last Term at Malory Towers, Felicity and June are shown being friends again, which continues into Pamela Cox's continuation of the series, albeit with Felicity more aware of June's negative traits. Still, one might wonder why Felicity would renew her friendship with June at all after what she did in Upper Fourth. Upper Fourth's narrative says that their friendship "was never renewed again", making this regression the result of a Series Continuity Error.
Live-Action TV
- Doctor Who: A heartbreaking In-Universe example occurs with Donna Noble, the Tenth Doctor's third companion. When the Doctor first meets Donna, she's a Jerk with a Heart of Gold—stubborn, short-tempered, brash, aimless, and not entirely pleasant to be around, even though she's a genuinely good and compassionate person deep down. As she travels in the TARDIS, Donna's kinder side gradually surfaces and she loses her nasty streak while maintaining her edge; the Doctor even credits her as a kind of Morality Chain that keeps him grounded and focused, and the two become the best of friends over the course of their journey. But in "Journey's End", Donna inadvertently undergoes a "biological meta-crisis" that implants a copy of the Doctor's own mind into hers, turning her into a super intelligent human-Time Lady hybrid that's able to save the entirety of reality. Unfortunately, humans simply aren't equipped to handle Gallifreyan knowledge, and Donna's brain begins to rapidly deteriorate as it's overloaded with information. The Doctor is forced to invoke Laser-Guided Amnesia of her entire time with him to save her life, and upon waking up, she immediately reverts back to the shrill, unpleasant, sour woman she once was as the Doctor sadly leaves her behind. Thankfully, by the time the Doctor reaches their fourteenth regeneration, Donna has not only matured naturally, but she's had a child who unknowingly absorbed half of the Gallifreyan mind power, allowing the Doctor to reawaken it and restoring Donna's memory and personality permanently.
- H₂O: Just Add Water: Zane started the series as The Bully and a rich jerk who made the main characters' lives miserable and got away with it because his father is the wealthiest man in town. Over the course of seasons one and two, he develops an Inter-Class Romance with Rikki, which causes him to learn to be less of a jerk because Love Redeems. The third season puts their relationship to the test by adding financial issues (Zane gifted Rikki a café neither of them knew how to run and his father is no longer giving him handouts), which causes friction between them, and Zane falls back into old habits when Rikki refuses to tolerate his poor business decisions. Combine this with his affair with Sophie, Rikki trusting newcomer Will with mermaid shenanigans over Zane, and Zane threatening to expose Rikki as a mermaid if she breaks up with him, their relationship ends on a harsh note, and Rikki claims to have outgrown him. Of course, one could make the argument that Zane never really changed, given that he never changed his attitude towards the other main characters Cleo, Emma, and Lewis, and was only nicer to Rikki because he wanted a relationship with her.
Video Games
- Baldur's Gate series: Viconia and Sarevok, no matter what Character Development they went through in Baldur's Gate II and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal fall back to their old villainous ways by the time of Baldur's Gate III. If you have the right companions (Jaheira and Minsc) with you when you face them you can call them out on it and to his credit Sarevok is at least a little ashamed of regressing like that but claims that the pull of his father's blood was simply too strong to resist forever. Viconia, meanwhile, may or may not be a victim of Sharran Laser-Guided Amnesia, depending on whether her memories seen in the Mirror of Loss were given willingly or forcibly stripped from her.
- Dragon Age:
- In Dragon Age: Origins, Alistair, an initially idealistic and humorous man, can be 'hardened' if the right choices are made, making him more cynical and ruthless. However, in Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition, he acts exactly the same whether you hardened him or not.
- Leliana, introduced in Origins, was a ruthless, selfish Bard who took a Heel–Faith Turn before the game and became the optimistic, kind-hearted, pious woman the player meets. She too can be hardened depending on player choice, regressing her character back to the ruthlessness of the Bard days (though she hasn't completely lost her newfound piety and morality) and giving her a Circular Character Arc. Regardless of whether she was hardened or remained idealistic in Origins, come Inquisition and she is back to being a fairly cold-hearted, ruthless figure (though she's more dour than she was during her bard days) due to the death of Divine Justinia, the very woman who inspired her Heel–Faith Turn in the first place. Depending on player choice, this character regression can be undone, 'softening' her so she's similar to how she was at the start of Origins; she can remain as she is; or she can be further hardened and have regressed even closer to how she was in her Bard days.
- Mass Effect 2: In the first game, Shepard's actions and dialogue choices can often result in squadmates becoming more Paragon (idealistic) or Renegade (ruthless). For example, Garrus Vakarian, one of the more Renegade squadmates initially, can be made fairly Paragon if Shepard gets him to question his beliefs enough. However, by the time of Mass Effect 2 (following a Time Skip of 2 years), these changes are gone for each squadmate. In the case of Garrus, even if he was made more Paragon in the last game, he is back to being ruthless and pragmatic (due to the death of Shepard and his teammates on Omega). Shepard then has the option to make him more Paragon again (at least in the instance of him trying to get revenge on the man who sold his men out on Omega).
Western Animation
- Ben 10: Alien Force: After spending the first two seasons coming into his own as a leader and growing into a responsible, levelheaded Humble Hero, Ben Tennyson undergoes a drastic shift in season 3 into a narcissistic and reckless Jerkass, not unlike the Bratty Half-Pint he started as in the original series. This is explained In-Universe as him letting his fame go to his head after saving the universe, but has been confirmed by the showrunner and writers as a studio-mandated attempt at Revisiting the Roots.
- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Generally speaking, the characters develop a lot over the course of the series, but there are several episodes where their development goes backwards, after which they're often rerailed back to their current selves by their next appearance. Examples include Fluttershy reverting to her timid Season 1 personality during the Season 5 episode "Scare Master" after several seasons of gradually becoming more confident, or the Cutie Mark Crusaders becoming more immature during the Season 9 episode "Growing Up is Hard to Do"note .
- Skylanders Academy: Spyro starts the show off with a huge ego, but starts growing out of it and become more humble after becoming a Skylander. At the end of "Touch of Evil", however, he gets his light eaten by Strykore, turning him into Dark Spyro. His new dark side has new powers, which Spyro immediately loves, and it highly boosts his confidence, so he turns right back into becoming the same egotistical dragon he was at the start of the show, only now he's evil. But after being sent by Strykore on a mission to be The Mole at the academy, Spyro starts rediscovering the bonds he has with his friends, and it helps him let go of his ego once again. At least, until Strykore has had enough of his stalling the mission and becoming softer, and forces Spyro into being evil again.
- Star Trek: Lower Decks: Played With Mariner, where she often regresses by showing her worst traits, including rebellion against authority and impulsive actions, over the series from time to time. It's revealed in "The Inner Fight" that Mariner's regression happens due to her still being in grief over losing her friend and classmate in the Dominion War. Thanks to Ma'ah's response that she isn't honoring her friend's memory by being self-destructive, she eventually resolves her trauma.
- Thomas & Friends: Over the course of the first five seasons, Thomas himself has a consistent character arc of becoming more mature; while he remains a bit cheeky, he generally mellows out into a kinder, more understanding engine. Starting with Season 6, his personality becomes a mix of his pre- and post-development selves, as he becomes more willing to tease other engines (e.g. Percy in "Scaredy Engines"), gets an inflated ego in "Thomas and the Statue", but sometimes shows empathy for others' plights (e.g. Cyril in "The Fogman").
