Redemption Arcs
/Everybody loves a good villain. They help drive the plot, provide a foil to the protagonist, and are great at capturing audience attention. It’s not unusual for the villain to be the most memorable character in a story.
But sometimes, you want the villain to be more than just a villain- you want them to be a hero. Maybe they have a tragic backstory, or good banter with the protagonist, or you just have a crush on them. Whatever the reason, it’s not uncommon for a villain to transition to a more heroic role.
However, redemption arcs can be tricky to do right. Let’s compare two of the most popular examples of redemption arcs—with varying success.
The Good: Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Bad: Kylo Ren from the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
On a surface level, Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Kylo Ren from Star Wars are similar. They both…
want to live up to their family’s legacy
struggle to choose the right path
reject their loving father figures
betray the hero to claim their birthright
The key differences between them are the actions they take and the major events that finally solidify their change of heart. First, let’s look at Zuko.
Prince Zuko
Throughout the first season of Avatar, Zuko hunts the protagonists across the globe, opposing them at almost every turn. However, from as early as episode 3 Zuko is portrayed in a more empathetic light than most other villains in the series. He was physically scarred by his father and exiled from his home. His only chance to regain his honour was a wild goose chase to capture the seemingly dead Avatar. Despite his circumstances, there are multiple instances that showcase Zuko’s capabilities for good, one of the most notable when he protects an Earth Kingdom village in Zuko Alone.
Zuko’s journey is not a simple one, however. Just when it seems like he’s going to become good, he betrays the heroes and once again joins the Fire Nation. Zuko gets everything he thinks he wanted—his honour, the respect of his family, a home. But he eventually realizes that the life he was chasing wasn’t what he needed. He cuts out his toxic family and joins team Avatar. Zuko works to prove himself and make up for his past actions. His character journey is long and difficult, but Zuko consistently works to better himself and strive for good.
The Force Awakens begins with Kylo Ren slaughtering a village. He captures and tortures different characters, kills his unarmed father, and helps the First Order commit genocide on a star system. It’s not a good first impression.
Like Zuko, Kylo Ren seems to have a brief turn to good in the second chapter. After working with Rey to defeat the villain, Kylo decides to become the new leader of the First Order and ends up working under a different evil boss in the form of Palpatine.
Kylo returns to the same state we met him in, hunting Rey and working for the villains. Then, after a brief lecture from his dead father, he decides that he’s good now. He helps defeat Palpatine, saves Rey’s life, kisses her, and immediately dies.
Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren’s redemption is less satisfying than Zuko’s, and there’s one big reason why: choice. After stumbling many times, Zuko chooses to join the heroes, and he keeps choosing to help despite their distrust of him. He works to redeem himself, even when it’s difficult. For Kylo Ren, it feels like he was compelled to be good by others, with little agency. Even after changing sides, he doesn’t have to atone for his actions because he just dies.
Redemption arcs are a tricky trope. While it can be done, it takes a lot of effort to be both believable and satisfying. Sometimes it’s easier for a villain to stay a villain.
Cor O’Neill
Cor is a Professional Writing student at Algonquin and a horror enthusiast. If he’s not working at the library or attending class, he’s usually creating in some form. He writes in a wide variety of genres and his life dream is to meet Mothman.
