There’s something irresistible about watching a character we once hated fight their way back to redemption. But not all former villains get to ride off into the sunset. Often, they’re still sacrificed for the good of the story. But whether they live or die is not determined by flipping a coin. As an author, it’s your job to weigh several key factors when deciding the ultimate ending for your reformed antagonist.

In today’s blog, Ginger walks us through how to evaluate your villain’s past sins and redemption arc to strike the right balance between satisfying storytelling and reader expectations. From the severity of their actions to the motivations behind their transformation, he breaks down the essential elements that should guide the fate of your redeemed villain.

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Whether it’s Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Negan from The Walking Dead, I’m a sucker for a bad guy who eventually sides with the heroes.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as that kind of well-executed character redemption arc – giving the characters we started off loving-to-hate a sympathetic side that ends up forcing us to support them.

And I’m very much not the only person who loves this trope! That’s why it’s such a common one in fiction. When the antagonist who’s been causing problems for your protagonist suddenly makes a dramatic heel-turn and joins the good guys, readers eat it up like ice cream on a hot summer day.

But have you ever noticed how some of these reformed villains get to ride off into the sunset, while others end up killed off as the ultimate sacrifice? What sets their path apart?

Well, it isn’t just the luck of the drawer. Even if we’ve never thought about it specifically before, there’s clearly a method to this madness which makes these two different arcs so satisfying.

I’ve been pondering it a lot lately, and come to understand that there’s a difference between “redeemable” and “irredeemable” antagonists in fiction – and if you can master it, perhaps it could help you write even more satisfying character arcs of your own.

Let’s dig into one of literature’s most powerful storytelling devices – the redemption arc – and figure out how to craft one that will have your readers either cheering for a villain’s happy ending or sobbing over their heroic death (both of which I consider to be equally satisfying outcomes, by the way!)

What Makes a Great Redemption Arc?

Before we dive into who lives and who dies, let’s look at what makes redemption arcs so compelling in the first place.

The redemption arc follows a fairly standard pattern: a character begins as an antagonist, experiences some catalyst for change, struggles with their identity and choices, and ultimately sides with the protagonists – often at great personal cost. It’s this journey from darkness to light that readers find so irresistible.

Some of literature’s most memorable characters have followed this path. Think about Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – a miserly, cruel businessman who, after supernatural intervention, transforms into a generous, kind-hearted soul. Or consider Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series, whose true loyalties and motivations are only fully revealed after his death; redeeming him for much of what Harry and the others considered cruelty, but was actually an effort to protect them.

Here’s the million-dollar question: Why did one of these reformed villains get a happy ending, while the other had to die at the end?

The Life-or-Death Redemption Equation

After years of reading and writing, I’ve identified what I believe is the critical factor: it’s all about what the character did BEFORE their redemption began.

Simply put, some sins are too great for readers to accept a happy ending for them. Because of the actions they committed when they were “bad” these characters must pay the ultimate price to complete their redemption arc – usually through self-sacrifice. It’s not enough for them to say “sorry” and join the good guys; they need to balance the cosmic scales to make up for the hurt they have caused.

Let’s look at some examples of both types:

Redeemed Villains Who Got Happy Endings

Ebenezer Scrooge (A Christmas Carol)

There is no more famous redemption arc in literature! Scrooge is so famous that only Sherlock Holmes and Dracula have been adapted to cinema more times. Scrooge begins as a miserable, penny-pinching businessman who exploits his employee and refuses to help the poor – but after visits from three spirits show him the error of his ways, Scrooge transforms overnight into a generous, joyful man. As readers, we’re satisfied that Scrooge gets to live out the rest of his days as a redeemed character because, while he was certainly unpleasant, his sins were primarily those of omission rather than commission – he didn’t actively harm people; he just failed to help them.

Jean Valjean (Les Misérables)

Though technically a criminal at the start of the novel, Valjean’s crime (stealing bread to feed his starving family) was born of desperation rather than malice. After a bishop shows him kindness, Valjean transforms his life, becoming a successful businessman and adoptive father. Despite being hunted by Javert for breaking parole, he consistently chooses compassion and mercy – which is why we readers are content when Valjean ultimately dies of old age surrounded by loved ones.

Edmund Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia)

A classic from my childhood! I remember being outraged when the treacherous Edmund betrayed his siblings to the White Witch, all for some of that disgusting Turkish Delight (and, I suppose, the promise of power.) However, after seeing the true evil of the witch and being saved by Aslan’s sacrifice, Edmund rejoins his siblings and fights alongside them; eventually becoming one of Narnia’s most loyal and just kings. Because his betrayal was born of childish greed rather than true malice, and because he was manipulated by the witch, readers accept his redemption and subsequent happy ending.

Redeemed Villains Who Had to Die

Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars)

After decades as the Emperor’s enforcer, committing countless atrocities (including the murder of all those younglings!) Vader finally redeems himself at the end of Return of the Jedi by saving his son Luke and destroying the Emperor. However, he dies in Luke’s arms before he can be dragged aboard a shuttle to escape. Why? Because Vader’s crimes were too heinous for audiences to accept his survival. It’s a path followed by his grandson, Ben Solo – who became irredeemable the moment he murdered his father, Han Solo, as the villainous Kylo Ren.

Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

Throughout most of the Harry Potter series, Snape is portrayed as a cruel, vindictive teacher with a particular hatred for Harry. The final book reveals he had been protecting Harry all along out of love for Harry’s mother. However, Snape dies before receiving any recognition or happiness for this. As a reader, most of us would agree that his earlier cruel behavior toward the heroes of Hogwarts, particularly Neville Longbottom, plus his past as a fanatical Death Eater, required Snape to make the ultimate sacrifice to complete his redemption.

Sydney Carton (A Tale of Two Cities)

Though not exactly a villain, Carton begins as a cynical, self-loathing alcoholic. However, his ultimate act of sacrificing himself at the guillotine to save Charles Darnay provides a different type of redemption arc. Dickens understood that readers would feel that Carton’s redemption required more than just changing his ways to make it satisfying. It required a sacrifice that demonstrated how much he’d changed.

Forgivable Sins: What Readers Will Let Slide

Some actions are forgivable in fiction, allowing characters to be redeemed without paying the ultimate price:

• Selfishness and greed – Scrooge’s miserliness is forgiven because it primarily hurt himself.
• Petty crimes – Jean Valjean’s theft is forgiven because it was motivated by necessity rather than greed.
• Betrayal under duress or manipulation – Edmund’s betrayal is forgiven because he was manipulated by the White Witch.
• General unpleasantness – Many reformed villains begin as simply unpleasant or mean-spirited, which is not only easily forgiven, but sometimes one of the most compelling things about them (think of Dr. House, based on the irascible Sherlock Holmes.)
• Actions taken out of ignorance – Characters who didn’t fully understand the consequences of their actions have an easier path to redemption.

Think of some of your favorite examples. The Grinch’s theft of Christmas presents, for example, was driven by loneliness, not malice. Mr. Darcy’s pride and initial rejection of Elizabeth Bennet is forgivable when he finally takes accountability for his rudeness.

Unforgivable Sins: When Death Is the Only Option

Some actions are deemed so heinous by readers that only death can provide sufficient atonement:

• Mass murder – Characters who have killed many innocent people, like Darth Vader, almost always die to satisfy their redemptive arc.
• Child harm – Any character who has harmed children faces a steep redemption path, usually ending in death.
• Betrayal resulting in death – If a character’s betrayal led directly to others dying, they typically must sacrifice themselves.
• Torture – Characters who have inflicted deliberate suffering on others usually pay with their lives.
• Sexual violence – Almost universally considered unforgivable, characters who commit these acts rarely even get redemption arcs.

Literature confirms this pattern: Boromir from The Lord of the Rings dies after attempting to take the Ring from Frodo. And Gollum, despite moments of redemption, ultimately dies in his obsessive pursuit of the Ring. Even Javert from Les Misérables commits suicide rather than reconciling his rigid worldview with Valjean’s goodness (providing examples of both of the character arcs we’re talking about.)

Tips for Writing Effective Redemption Arcs

If you’re planning to include a redemption arc in your next book, here are some tips to make it as powerful as possible:

For “Forgivable” Villains (Happy Ending Arc):

• Establish clear motivations – Show WHY your villain did what they did. Relatable motivations generally make redemption more believable and allow us readers to get invested in it.
• Introduce doubt early – Plant seeds of internal conflict before the actual redemption begins.
• Make the change gradual – Sudden conversions feel unearned. Let your character struggle with their change of heart. Make them doubt their decision to side with the good guys.
• Show the price – Even “forgivable” villains should sacrifice something, even if it’s not their life. Nothing is won without sacrifice, and no story is complete without it.
• Test their new allegiance – Put them in a situation where they could revert to old ways but choose not to. That demonstrates to the reader that their redemptive arc is genuine.

For “Unforgivable” Villains (Sacrificial Arc):

• Humanize without excusing – Show the humanity in your villain without excusing their terrible actions.
• Create a specific catalyst – The moment of change should be significant and often personal.
• Make the sacrifice meaningful – Their death should directly save others, preferably the very people they once harmed.
• Allow moments of doubt – Even in redemption, these characters should struggle with their nature.
• Give them a moment of peace – Before their sacrifice, allow them a brief realization or acceptance.

The key difference? The “unforgivable” villain’s redemption must culminate in a sacrifice proportional to their sins – which is invariably death. The more heinous their past actions, the greater the sacrifice required. They can earn redemption, but they must pay for it with their lives.

Conclusion

Character redemption arcs remain one of the most powerful storytelling tools in our arsenal. There’s something deeply human about the possibility of change, about the idea that even the worst among us might find a path back to goodness. It makes characters more relatable because many of us are struggling with our own guilt, shame, and the consequences of our words and actions – and redemptive arcs in fiction make us believe that we can find redemption in the real world.

When crafting your own redemption arcs, think carefully about what your villain has done. Have they crossed lines that readers can’t forgive? If so, prepare them for a heroic end. Have they remained within the bounds of forgivable flaws? Then perhaps they’ve earned their happy ending. Remember, the most satisfying redemption arcs aren’t about erasing the past – they’re about acknowledging it, atoning for it, and then making a different choice when it matters most.

Advice that isn’t too dissimilar to how we should conduct ourselves in reality!

Anyway. I hope you enjoyed this dive into character redemption. I’d love to hear about YOUR favorite redemption arcs in literature or your own writing. Which redeemed villains resonated with you the most? Do you prefer the happy ending or the sacrificial conclusion? Drop a comment below

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