Flat or round, every character is ruled by a central emotion and/or the goal they’re striving to accomplish. Some are driven by grief, some by anger, some by a profound sense of loss, and some by love.
But there’s one emotion that probably feels the heaviest in our hearts, and that is regret. Regret is a versatile emotion—it can turn you into a hero, an anti-hero, or even an antagonist.
In this article, we’re looking at iconic characters whose arcs were defined by regret.
Characters Plunged into Regret
1. Jesse, Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
Breaking Bad (2008-2013)Source: AMC
Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) was a rebel when he was first introduced to us in Breaking Bad. He is a high school dropout, living life on the edge. Estranged from his parents, the adolescent guy (with the sensibility and awareness of a teenager) makes meth to earn some quick bucks (hopefully till he figures out what he’ll do with his life).
When Jesse says that his life is ruined after meeting Walter White (which he says multiple times throughout the series), is he wrong? No one can deny that Walter was both reckless and irresponsible when he first began his “meth startup.”
Walter is a dying man. Jesse has his entire life ahead of him. Walter betrays the kid multiple times to keep himself safe. Jane’s death from choking on her vomit while overdosing, and Walter's not lifting a finger to help her as she slowly breathes her last in front of Walter’s eyes, mark the beginning of a lifelong regret in Jesse. This is followed by more events where he endlessly regrets his association with Walter.
2. Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
A sense of loss drives Scarlet Witch, who is without her two children, Billy and Tommy. She decides to travel across the multiverse in search of her kids, wreaking havoc on Earth in every reality until she eventually finds them.
But to her dismay, instead of her kids rushing to her, Tommy and Billy fear her and want nothing to do with her. Their rejection makes her realize how a fantasy cannot be turned into reality. To redeem herself, she sets out to destroy all copies of the Darkhold, sacrificing herself to restore peace and balance in the multiverse.
3. Jafar, Aladdin (1992)
Aladin (1992)Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Jafar’s end in Aladdin is iconic and shows the fatal consequences of greed. It also shows the lack of common sense and the hazards of a rushed decision.
After Jafar finally gets his hands on the magic lamp, his first two wishes are very predictable—to become the sultan and to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world. With his last wish remaining, he could have asked for a beautiful partner for himself, immortality, or anything else.
But no, he goes on to get insecure about the powers of the genie and wishes to become one! That’s why they say, "Be careful of what you wish for."
4. Charles McGill, Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
Better Call Saul (2015-2022)Source: AMC, Sony Pictures Television
Charles McGill, aka Chuck, was one of the greatest attorneys in his state. He was a legend in his field. However, in his personal life, the man was a failure, whether in his marriage or in his relationship with his younger brother, Jimmy McGill, who looked up to him as an idol from childhood.
He is emotionally volatile, has extreme trust issues, and is self-righteous, which often hurts the people around him, but he never seems to be aware of it. He was not doing well mentally; however, there are multiple instances throughout the series in which Charles’ actions are also greatly influenced by his insecurities.
In the end, Charles dies with the regret that he never had a single purposeful relationship throughout his life, whether professional or personal.
5. Mike Ehrmantraut, Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
Better Call Saul (2015-2022)Source: AMC, Sony Pictures Television
This old man is one of my favorite characters from the series—I love everything about him, from the way he talks and walks to the way he navigates the hazardous world around him, always prioritizing the people he loves over himself.
This shows that even hitmen, who are trained to kill, do not run out of love. The man’s past is darkened by the death of his only son, who, unlike him, was an honest police officer, killed by corrupt cops.
We see Mike as a central character in two series, quietly doing his job, until it is revealed at the end of Better Call Saul that he does the dirty job to help sustain his son’s family (his daughter-in-law and granddaughter), all the while regretting that he could do nothing to save his son. In the end, he avenges his death by brutally killing his murderers.
6. Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)Source: Sony Pictures Releasing, Columbia Pictures
“With great power comes great responsibility” is basically Spider-Man’s ethos.
But he wasn’t like that when the radioactive spider first bit him and became Spider-Man. So what happened that changed how he started viewing his powers and their utility? It is Uncle Ben’s death—something he will never be able to forgive himself for.
If only Peter had stopped the burglar at the convenience store, his uncle would have been alive. That one wrong decision cost him someone he dearly loved in the blink of an eye.
7. Michael Corleone, The Godfather Trilogy
The Godfather TrilogySource: Paramount Pictures
Michael has one of the most tragic arcs, turning him into an ideal antihero. He is pulled into his family's crime business after his elder brother Sonny is brutally killed in a planned ambush by the rival gang, which is one of the most iconic character exits of all time.
Before Michael can recover from the loss of his brother, his first wife is killed by a bomb that was placed in their car to kill Michael. Soon, his father dies too. Eventually, Michael formally takes the chair as the patriarch of the Corleone crime family, all alone to fit into the shoes that are evidently too large for him, only to be brutally betrayed by his jealous brother, Fredo.
His family crumbles as his second wife leaves him and his kids abandon him, too. Eventually, his daughter, Mary, is assassinated in the final film. So much, for what? Michael is left feeling like a total failure, regretting having been born into a life of crime.
8. Georgia, Ginny and Georgia (2021)
Ginny and GeorgiaSource: Netflix
Georgia was only 15 when she became pregnant with Ginny. She fled her home and sacrificed everything only to ensure that Ginny could have a life that she could never even dream of growing up. We may agree that her methods were questionable, but not her love.
While on the surface, Ginny grows up to be a fine woman, internally her traumas and psychological breakdowns get the better of her, which was hidden from Georgia for the longest time. But once she learned about it, it was like her worst nightmare had come true. All she feared was that she would screw up her kids, and here they were, screwed up in their heads, fighting battles that were never meant for them.
By the end of the season, Georgia wins back her children’s custody. However, she is filled with regret at the end of Season 3, realizing that her kids have turned out just like her–manipulative, opportunistic, and dangerous. Not everyone deserves to be an idol to their children–but only some of them, like Ginny, are aware of this truth, even though it can be very hard to accept..
Which is the character that resonates the most with you? Let us know what you think of these characters in the comments below!
