Break the Cutie tv Trope
A series introduces a character as sweet and lovable,
more comic relief than anything, who likes nothing more than to pet little creatures. They make you adore them, root for them and love them.
Then the writers proceed to slowly torment them in front of your very eyes. They destroy everything important to them, kill everyone they love and make them suffer from horrible accidents, diseases and acts of violence, including but not limited to torture, rape or any other Fate Worse Than Death.
They beat the character with one cruel stroke of fate after another until they are just an Empty Shell of their former cheerful, carefree self.
This technique is often used to build The Woobie in an attempt to enhance "adorability" points. Writers have to be careful or else The Cutie will become the universe's Chew Toy or cause Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy if too much misery is heaped on them.
Be careful about tormenting sweet little things—sometimes instead of breaking, or when there's nothing left to break, they snap. If they snap, you'd better hope your life insurance policy is up to date, especially if the cutie was a badass to begin with. If they break but refuse to show it, they could be a Stepford Smiler.
Me one year being on the coli