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Boxing Lessons for Superman: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:
What happens when you take the [[Mighty Glacier]] and turn him into a [[Gun Slinger]]? Or when the [[Fragile Speedster]] learns how to [[Sword Fight]]? Or when the [[Shapeshifting|Shapeshifter]] decides to study biology? For one, you [[Took a Level
▲What happens when you take the [[Mighty Glacier]] and turn him into a [[Gun Slinger]]? Or when the [[Fragile Speedster]] learns how to [[Sword Fight]]? Or when the [[Shapeshifting|Shapeshifter]] decides to study biology? For one, you [[Took a Level In Badass|get a level in badass]].
For two, you get this trope.
The inverse of both [[Badass Abnormal]] and [[Charles Atlas Superpower]]. This trope occurs when you take an already abnormal character and teach them some sort of mundane skill to take their badassery [[Up to Eleven]]. Got an [[Imagination Based Power]]? Some engineering classes might make your constructs more formidable, along with art classes to stretch the imagination. Got [[Super Strength]]? How about some
The main criteria is that the indicated character learned this skill ''after'' gaining their superpowers. If they were already a skilled detective before they were dunked in [[Phlebotinum]], then that isn't this trope. Furthermore, this trope isn't about gaining [[New Powers as the Plot Demands]]; the new skills are mundane things that anyone could do with enough training or
If foreshadowed and dropped until needed, this may be a [[Chekhov's Skill]] and involve a [[Training Montage]]. If not, this is sometimes a case of [[Suddenly Always Knew That]]. [[Status Quo Is God]] can cause this to be forgotten an episode later, only to later be subverted when the character exclaims he "[[Forgot I Could Fly]]". Being [[Unskilled but Strong]] may be a reason for this mundane skill to be taught to the character.
Compare with [[Mundane Utility]], which is a sister trope. If the character needs trained combat skills normally rather than just for a few special circumstances, he probably [[Fights Like a Normal]].
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* In ''[[One Piece]]'', this trope applies to most characters. Devil fruits don't get stronger, users become more creative at using them and develop secondary skills to make using them better.
* In ''[[Bleach]]'', the [[Badass]] [[Blood Knight]] Kenpachi is the ''epitome'' of [[Unskilled but Strong]], using absolute brute force to beat most opponents. But when he finally faces one whom brute force is useless against, he switches to his secret weapon: ''a basic kendo swing''.
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* In ''[[Pokémon Special]]'', Yellow quickly realizes that while her powers are useful, she needs actual battling skills in order to fight the Elite Four, so she asks Green to train her.
* The [[Trope Namer]] is the comic book ''[[Superman vs
▲== Comics ==
▲* The [[Trope Namer]] is the comic book ''Superman vs [[Muhammad Ali]]'', where Ali teaches [[Superman]] to box. [[Justified Trope|Justified]] since they'll be fighting each other in a [[Power Nullifier|special ring]] in which Superman is [[Brought Down to Normal]].
** Also, it has been stated multiple times that Superman has taken fighting lessons from [[Batman|one of Earth's greatest martial artists]] as well as [[Wonder Woman|Earth's greatest warrior]].
** [[Martian Manhunter]] has taught him techniques to help him resist mind control as that had been a problem for him.
** He has learned Kryptonian martial arts as well. No, really. The son of Mongul also taught him a few things about fighting in an [[Enemy Mine]] situation.
** In general, Superman's status as '''the''' superhero and his extensive history means he has the epitome of [[Taught By Experience]] going for him. In ''[[Justice League: Crisis
*** He also tells Ultraman this in Trinity, stating that because he doesn't kill his enemies, he's constantly in action, unlike Ultraman who doesn't really need to work his skills that much.
* This is one of the whole points to the [[X-Men]]: teaching mutants the ideal ways to use their individual powers to best help or defend mankind.
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*** This is now happening to Spider-Man in the main 616 universe. Having recently lost his Spider-Sense, he has begun to realize how much he depended upon it in battle, so he accepted an offer to train under Shang-Chi, one of the Marvel Universe's greatest martial artists. Shang-Chi is now helping Spider-Man develop a unique fighting style called "The Way of the Spider", that incorporates Spider-Man's strength and agility.
** Like Superman above, Spider-Man's vast history and being completely [[Taught By Experience]] means he did develop extensive street-fighting experience. More in-line with the trope definition is the fact that Spider-Man spent a long time as a wrestler and that Peter developed the webbing later to take advantage of his agility and spider-sense.
* One issue of ''[[The Avengers (Comic Book)|The Avengers]]'' had [[Captain America (comics)]] acting as a [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]] and teaching several
* [[Iron Man|Tony Stark]], unable to access his armor for the time being, goes to [[Captain America (comics)|Steve Rogers]] to learn how to fight during the Demon In A Bottle story arc, under the pretense of being more vulnerable to his enemies now that his "bodyguard" Iron Man won't be able to protect him. It comes in handy when Stark is captured by Justin Hammer and his goons.
{{quote|
'''Tony Stark''': As a matter of fact, I do. I'd like to know if this guard here knows what a clavicle is.
'''Guard''': Huh? Well, uh... no.
'''Tony Stark''': Surprise! It's what I just broke! }}
* One issue of the ''[[Green Lantern]] Corps'' had Kyle Rayner encounter a situation in which he could not challenge Sinestro without breaking a truce that kept a fragile peace. Kyle proposed that the two fight as
** In a two-page splash, no less.
* ''[[Gen 13]]''. Caitlin Fairchild had [[Super Strength]] and superhuman agility and speed, but in one issue Sarah Rainmaker started to teach her how to fight.
* In ''[[Preacher (Comic Book)]]'', ''not'' learning how to fight has major consequences for {{spoiler|Cassidy}}, who - despite being a vampire, stronger and faster than a human could ever be - finds that Jesse, who suffered through a protracted bout of [[Training
* In ''[[Irredeemable]]'', not ever learning how to fight and relying only on his strength alone come back to bite {{spoiler|Plutonian}} hard, when somebody equally strong, who knows some moves, showed up.
* The entire point of ''[[The Avengers (Comic Book)|Avengers: The Initiative]]'' and ''Avengers Academy'' is to invoke this trope.
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* When [[Wonder Woman]] lost her powers for a while in the 70's (the period when she wore the white [[Cat Suit|catsuit]] instead of her normal costume), she trained under a martial arts master to help compensate.
* In the [[DC Universe]], Wildcat is a [[Badass Normal]] pro boxer, and considered one of the hero community's go-to guys to get lessons from.
** The list of people he trained is like a Who's Who of [[DC Universe]] [[Badass Normal
* In the post-''[[Flashpoint]]'' DC reboot, the new [[The Ray|Ray]] studies up on light after getting his powers in order to make himself effective with them.
* Subtly mentioned in various X-Men titles, like the X-Men Evolution note below, Scott has learned various skills to compensate and enhance his power. He specifically trains to fight so that he doesn't lose his visor, has learned to fight blind and remember where his visor fell, and is a master of applied geometry. The latter has resulted in Wolverine owing Scott a truckload of beer over billiards.
* The original [[Firestorm]] the Nuclear Man, whose powers involve molecular transformation, has studied chemistry to make them more effective. Particularly notable in that he's a jock who does not find study easy.
* Taskmaster. His power? Being able to copy any move that he can physically perform as well as the guy he watched. The skill he later picked up? Teaching what he knew.
== Fan Works ==
* There is a 1990s-vintage ''[[Ranma ½]]'' fanfic in which uber-martial artist Ranma eventually narrows his focus down to mastery in boxing; he has come to an epiphany that almost all the super martial arts that he excelled at were more about flash and wasted motion than simply winning the fight outright, and that boxing was the essence of fighting boiled down to its purest expression.
== Film ==
* In ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man 2]]'', Tony is shown practicing "mixed martial-arts" (actually [[Trying to Catch Me Fighting Dirty|Dirty]] [[Good Old Fisticuffs|Boxing]]) against Happy Hogan. Later, when he and Rhodey get into a fight, the lessons actually come in handy because Tony is more used to fighting in [[Powered Armor]] and is actually able to hold his own against the military-trained Colonel Rhodes.
* ''Possibly'' used in ''[[The Incredible Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk]]'', where one of our first glimpses of Bruce Banner is during Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lessons. His intent is apparently to help remain calm and patient to prevent a [[Hulk Out]], but depending on how you interpret the final scene of the movie, he may be actually using it to ''induce and control'' the Hulk, as was suggested by his [[Love Interest]], Betty.
== Literature ==
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* In the ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[Star Wars Expanded Universe|Expanded Universe]], Jaina Solo asked Boba Fett to train her in hand-to-hand combat to prepare for her final duel with Darth Caedus.
** At least, she asked him to train her to take down a Jedi, and a lot of the training happened to involve hand-to-hand combat. She was studying Mandalorian attitude more than technique.
* One of [[The Dresden Files|Harry Dresden]]´s '''many''' [[Took a Level
** Harry also notes that teaching his apprentice gave him a much better appreciation for the basics of magic he himself learned and took for granted.
* Pewter-burners in the ''[[Mistborn]]'' books burn their metal to gain inhuman levels of strength, speed and stamina. However, this only lasts as long as the metal supply, and the power works independently of the burner's body - as in, they don't suddenly sprout muscles. Pewter-burners like Hammond instruct the main character, Vin, of the benefits of honing one's body without pewter to increase one's strength while using it, developing fighting skill alongside these abilities, and using pewter tactically for powerful strikes instead of turning it on all the time in a fight and flailing your limbs.
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* In Liar, Micah was born being able to run abnormally fast. Then she gets taught proper running technique and is able to run that much faster and more efficiently. She's actually almost disgusted when she sees someone like her without technique and hopes she didn't look that bad before she learned.
* The third book of the ''[[Septimus Heap]]'' series is partially about Septimus learning to become a Physician while trapped in a Time past. This becomes useful upon his return to his Time to control an epidemic.
* [[Harry Potter|Harry]], Ron and the Weasley twins can pick locks the Muggle way.
* In the [[Anita Blake]] series, characters with [[Super Strength]], [[Super Speed]], and [[Shape Shifter|Shapeshifting]] still utilize weight training, powerlifting, and
== Live Action TV ==
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* In an episode of ''[[No Ordinary Family]]'', Jim Powell (who has [[Super Strength]]) confronts another guy who has also gained that superpower, and gets his ass handed to him because the other guy actually knows something about fighting. So that it doesn't happen again, sidekick George teaches Jim a few of the basics of boxing, and Jim wins the second round.
* On ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'', Claire demands that her dad, a [[Badass Normal]], teach her how to fight and defend herself. So he hands her a 2x4 and teaches her a stance.
{{quote|
'''Noah''': No, it's [[Batter Up|baseball.]] }}
* In one episode of ''[[Lois and Clark]]'', Superman took a crash course in kung fu to face off against a martial artist who had stolen a mystical artifact that multiplied his strength.
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* In the official ''[[Champions]]'' setting, the French supervillain Venin Vert studied chemistry so as to be able to use her powers (she can produce poisons from her hands) more efficiently.
* There are several RPG systems, for example the ''[[New World of Darkness]]'', where the die roll for activating supernatural powers is tied to mundane skills. So improving the mundane skill (e.g. Persuasion) also makes the supernatural power (e.g. Summoning) more effective.
== Video Games ==
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* This could apply to ''[[Pokémon]]'' as well. For example, you can teach one of your Pokémon how to swim and thus teach it a useful water attack.
** Played straight by Effort Values, tiny stat boosts gained by fighting other Pokémon. Simply fighting random Pokémon and gaining EXP would yield a powerful monster, but with specialized EV Training focusing on specific stats, a Pokémon can yield monstrous gains in a stat.
* In ''[[Deus Ex: Human Revolution|Deus Ex Human Revolution]]'', [[Hollywood Cyborg]] Adam Jensen teaches himself clock-making to gain better control of his new cybernetic hands.
* Pool Powers, [[Literal Metaphor|most literally]] the Fighting Pool in [[City of Heroes]], are one way characters can get some extra skills. Temporary powers are another.
* In ''[[Academagia]] The Making Of Mages'', the character is a student at a [[Wizarding School]], but they also train in mundane skills to enhance and supplement their magic. For example, a student at Avila, the college of [[Winds of Destiny Change|Astrology]], is also required to study Geometry, because mundane Astronomy classes are part of the Geometry curriculum, and knowledge of mundane astronomy can assist in learning about magical astrology.
* In ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]] II'' both Kreia and the Mandalorians note that most Jedi aren't particularly skilled at anything, and their only advantage is their connection to the Force that gives them their abilities. They train the Exile to not rely on the Force to provide her abilities, but to hone a more mundane skill and use the Force to augment it.
== Web Comics ==
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* A villainous example occurs in ''[[Justice League]]''. Shade, whose has a nightstick that creates shadows, is essentially rendered helpless without it. Batman beats him this way the first time. When it comes time for a rematch and Batman uses the same tactic, Shade sucker punches him, having taken lessons in preparation for this sort of thing. He still got his ass kicked, of course, but at least he learned.
* In ''[[Young Justice (animation)|Young Justice]]'', after being humiliated by Black Canary with a judo toss, [[Superboy]] begrudgingly takes private fighting lessons. The results start showing less than two episodes after.
* The Disney version of ''[[Hercules (
* Used in an episode of ''[[X-Men: Evolution]]''. Most of the younger mutants who are used to training in the danger room with Wolverine are disappointed when Scott and Jean are the only teachers left at the institute and would rather teach them geometry and physics. Of course, they change their minds when Scott shows them he can ricochet his laser eyes around a room to hit a moving target.
* In a cold open of ''[[Batman: The Brave And The Bold|Batman the Brave And The Bold]]'', it is revealed that Batman taught Dr. Fate how to box in case his helmet was ever removed.
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** Which leads to Tony [[Comically Missing the Point]], as Steve's entire intention was to show that knowing how to personally defend yourself will never, no matter how far technology advances, become obsolete. Tony doesn't see what Cap means.
** Apparently the lesson was not lost on him, as we see in the next season that the training is continuing:
{{quote|
{{spoiler|Skrull}} Steve Rogers: "If that's the way you choose to remember it..." }}
* In ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'' everyone from the planet Tamaran has superhuman strength; however, Blackfire complements that by also knowing some Tamaranean martial arts. Also, Cyborg's mechanical body wouldn't be nearly as awesome if he weren't also a mechanical genius able to repair and upgrade it.
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[[Category:Skills and Training Tropes]]
[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Super Title Index]]
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