Fan Casting Happiness Realized Too Late in Sort by Tropes

Regardless of whether the quest ends in success or failure, the character may find themselves looking back on their old life and realizing that they were genuinely happier beforehand; in some cases, they may have actually had what they wanted all along, but couldn't see it. In the end, the tragedy of the situation is that their old life is gone forever, and they can never regain the happiness they once had. A few rare exceptions to the rule exist in which something of the old happiness can be reclaimed, but these are few and far between.