20 Flawless TV Character Arcs

Look up the definition of "redemption arc," and chances are high you'll find a picture of Prince Zuko from the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Raised as a warrior ordered to capture the Avatar, Zuko's growth from villain to sympathetic hero remains a stunning example of great writing. And on a Nickelodeon show, no less!

Thrown out into the world by a cruel and menacing father, Zuko starts the series as a lost soul with a single-minded purpose, driven by his upbringing and desire to achieve his goals -- no matter the human cost, or the weight it bares down on his soul.

Time works to save him from his path, though, and once he starts empathising with his enemy, Aang, and the victims of his father's wrath, he renounces his evil ways and becomes an ally against tyranny. It's a brilliant, full-circle story, powerfully executed, and a great reminder that there's always hope, for everyone, to change.