24 TV And Movie Characters Who Were Completely Different By The End

For better or worse.

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community what's the best example of character development they've seen in TV and movies. Here are the best responses.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.  

1. Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones

HBO

The circumstances surrounding her growth were horrific, but she didn't let it break her. She refused to be a victim. She grew up dreaming of being a princess, waiting for a prince to save her, but she's long since learned that no one is coming so she saved herself instead. Gone is the passive, fantastical young girl of early Game of Thrones, and in her place is the Lady of Winterfell — strong and wickedly intelligent.

— Rebecca P.

From a spoiled, bratty girl to sexual assault survivor and leader.

— HalseyDelRey

2. Alex Karev, Grey's Anatomy

Shondaland

He's gone from a sexist, selfish and shallow person, to 14 seasons later one of the most emotionally sound and caring people on the show. I also like how they haven't made him completely faultless either, because no one is.

— aislingm47640672b

3. Carol Peletier, The Walking Dead

HBO

Anyone who’s able to transform from a scared woman trapped by her abusive husband to a badass zombie killing machine gets an A in my book. Especially after losing her daughter.

— ashlynnwinchester

4. Chandler Bing, Friends

20th Century Fox

His character development is so underrated. It's incredible how he was once so terrified of commitment he couldn't hold down a relationship, to ending the series married to his best friend and having children. Every time I watch it, I feel like he deserves recognition.

— inestopia

From a terrified man who wouldn't commit to one who fought for the woman he loved, all without losing his funny bone.

— marinapaulose2

5. Gemma Teller Morrow, Sons of Anarchy

FX

She was easily one of my favourite characters for the first five seasons, but by the end I HATED her. She had descended from badass, take-no-shit, hurt-my-family-and-I'll-kill-you to this unstable control freak with serious tunnel vision. But I thought it fit the show so well. It was one of those disappointing outcomes that I actually welcomed because her character development made so much sense given everything that was happening with the club.

— alinad4dd4a2314

6. Nathan Scott, One Tree Hill

The CW

He went from being the most selfish asshole to a wonderful and loving father, husband, brother and friend. His life definitely had its ups and downs, and he didn't always handle those downs very well, but he came through the other side a better man.

— saraudsen

7. Mickey Milkovich, Shameless

Showtime

His character and story line is by far the most beautifully tragic I have ever seen. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders; he's gay but can't be who he is due to an abusive, homophonic, alcoholic father who goes so far as to have him raped by a prostitute to try and "take the gay away." So, he fights, and gets in trouble with the law left and right, and he's angry and grumpy and moody and difficult, but as the seasons pass he slowly becomes the most lovable character on the show. A story of love, loss, hope, forgiveness and how strong we can be when we are faced with the worst obstacles imaginable.

— Jenny Rosenstiel, Facebook

8. Regina, Once Upon a Time

ABC

Her gradual transformation from Evil Queen who didn't think she'd get her own happy ending, to hero who found happiness in her family was one of the best things about the show.

— georgea4cf7567f5

9. Walter White, Breaking Bad

AMC

I binged that show in amazement of his slow descent into super villain. That episode when you realise he poisoned the child...it chilled me to the bone.

— anoukvanderz

10. Charlotte York, Sex and the City

HBO

I love that she ends up with the complete opposite of what she'd have previously considered the "perfect" man, and is deliriously happy with her life, (ignoring that donkey-turd of a second movie.) Harry is hairy but bald, sweaty, crass and unrefined. He's the best damn husband in the show — and the best part is that Charlotte knows that and fully appreciates him.

— frans410af24ac

11. April Ludgate, Parks and Recreation

Fox

She starts as an unfriendly intern who's just there to cause trouble. But as the series progresses, she starts to find herself and figure out what she's passionate about. What's awesome is that even as she grows and starts becoming more responsible and caring about people, she's still pretty cold and distant. It's such a cool progression of finding herself while not compromising who she is. By the finale she's this really confident, badass woman.

— Jacob McCleery, Facebook

12. Steve Harrington, Stranger Things

Netflix

The writers really delved into his character and created something wonderful. It would have been SO EASY to keep him as the douche-y, unsuitable and ridiculous boyfriend but he became a flawed yet caring and kick-ass guy.

— janev4c16ff05f

He went from douchebag jock to actual mother hen within two seasons. Amazing.

— katiel422ccdba1

13. Peggy Olson, Mad Men

AMC

Her progression both professionally and personally is the best arc of the series. She goes from assistant to taking her former boss' position, not by backstabbing but through hard work. She also starts off very introverted with intimacy issues, but over time develops a happy and healthy relationship with Stan.

— brienj

14. The Rose Family, Schitt's Creek

CBC

Over four seasons, you see these four spoiled, entitled characters turn into genuinely delightful, hard-working and caring people without ever changing who they innately are.

— theom4156f0c20

15. Kate Beckett, Castle

ABC

She got over immense suffering and pain, learnt to embrace happiness, broke down her walls and opened her heart to love. But the best thing was that all the changes the character went through were brought about by her. She never required a knight in shining armour, but improved for herself. She summed it up when talking to her therapist about her mother's death: "I've let it define me, drive me. It's made me who I am. But now, I want to be more than who I am."

— atomkoolcat

16. Jake Peralta, Brooklyn Nine Nine

Universal Television

He started off as a stubborn man-child who's in crippling debt and always thinks he's right, to someone that always has his friends' backs, a really REALLY great boyfriend and responsible cop who actually saves money!

— c4dc3e6193

17. Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

She starts off as a beauty queen in a sorority and finishes the movie by graduating top of her class at Harvard law school. Everyone underestimated her, and even though she initially went to Harvard to get her boyfriend back, she discovers how smart and strong a person she is and how useless he was.

— jenniferh4e24263bc

18. Brooke Davis, One Tree Hill

The CW

She went from being the shallow, popular party girl, to the smart, hard-working, determined role model. She stopped letting boys define her, and instead worked hard to create a thriving business, and became an amazing mother.

— talleym

19. Prince Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Nickelodeon

He went from an arrogant teenager who relentlessly sought his father's approval and pushed away anyone who got in his way, to someone who realised that the only person's approval he needed was his own. He redeemed himself by helping the Avatar learn fire-bending, and went on to rule the fire kingdom.

— kimberlyg45878e64c

20. Jack Shephard, Lost

ABC

In season one, he's an man of science, convinced there is no such thing as destiny. However, through the series we see him transform into a man of faith as he realises his purpose on the island. It's a beautiful character arc.

— Rachaelp467365304

21. Cordelia Chase, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel

Mutant Enemy Productions

She went from being a shallow mean girl to a hero in her own right, and her journey felt real and organic.

— QuietViolence13

22. Jimmy McGill, Better Call Saul

Netflix

What really drives this series is that we know he's going to transform into his alter-ego Saul Goodman, who ends up being the lawyer of a drugloard in Breaking Bad. But in Better Call Saul, we see him slowly transform from Jimmy McGill, a struggling lawyer who's trying to get a job in a prestigious firm, to a gradually more crooked man who doesn't give a shit about the law. The writing is GENIUS.

— priveros1234

23. Mac, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

FX

His ambiguous sexuality has always been a go-to gag on the show, until the season 13 finale. He came out to his father and his prison-mates in a breathtaking, emotional dance. His father was unreceptive and left mid-performance, but Frank was in the audience as well. Dany DeVito's transition into accepting Mac was pure enough to warm even the coldest of hearts, but it was Mac's emotional journey through dance that was absolutely stunning.

— Benovan Stanchiano, Facebook

24. Jamie Lannister, Game of Thrones

HBO

He starts off unbelievably selfish, arrogant and just plain awful — I mean, he pushes a kid out of a window in the first episode after fucking his sister. But his whole development with Brienne, trying to keep his oath to Kaitlin Stark, and finally abandoning Cersei to go and fight the White Walkers was brilliant.

— rachelh4813f3c57

He went from despised, incestuous, attempted child murderer to beloved, still incestuous, fan favourite. One of the most complex characters I’ve ever read about or watched.

— katelynf4787a7cd3

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