Heroic Bystander: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
When something bad happens, most people gape in fear and shock. They are the [[Innocent Bystander
The
It doesn't have to be a life that is saved. A
This can be used as a device to show the growth of a character, such as having a [[Dirty Coward|cowardly individual]] [[Cowardly Lion|show remarkable resolve in coming to someone's rescue]]. It can show how someone is transformed from a passive outsider, to someone who gets involved and tries to help others. Sometimes, it can be used to let a wimp have their day in the sun.
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Contrast [[Never Be a Hero]].
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== Anime and Manga ==
* In ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', [[Nerd
** Makoto/Sailor Jupiter also starts out as a Heroic Bystander, seeing as she comes to Sailor Moon's defense in her first episode despite not yet knowing she has any powers.
*** And the four Senshi in the Filler Arc of Sailor Moon R. They [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|were made to forget their powers so they]] [[I Just Want to Be Normal|could have a normal life,]] but when the [[Monster of the Week]] showed up and Moon fought it alone, [[Jumped At the Call|they went in to fight it anyway,]] ''[[Jumped At the Call|without even knowing they had any powers.]]'' Now THAT'S [[Took a Level In Badass|Taking A Level In Badass]].
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** When [[The Mighty Thor]] was attacked by what he thought was Skurge The Executioner, an old [[Heel Face Turn|enemy turned friend]] who had been killed in a [[Heroic Sacrifice]], he was initially unwilling to fight back against a brother in arms. Little Kevin Masterson intervened and tried to help Thor only to be swatted away by "Skurge," who was in fact a [[Costume Copycat]] simply using Skurge's equipment. Knowing that the '''real''' Skurge [[Wouldn't Hurt a Child|would never strike a defenseless little kid]], Thor realized he was facing an impostor and proceeded to deliver the villain a [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]].
** [[Daredevil]] fought [[Playing with Fire|Pyro]] and [[Fat Bastard|the Blob]] to keep them from abducting a young mutant girl and forcing her to register with the U.S. government. After taking out Pyro, Daredevil attacked the Blob but was quickly knocked down. The Blob was about to stomp Daredevil when the girl he was trying to protect used her telekinetic powers to pull him out of the way. Daredevil then got the girl to use her powers to pull a large bell down from a nearby church, knocking the Blob out after Daredevil blinded him and then lured him under the steeple.
*** Not to mention that Daredevil is only, well, Daredevil because he was a
* DC Comics, the ''Syndicate Rules'' Justice League graphic novels. Super-powered villains are trashing a local scientific facility. Many citizens, wrongly believing they are helping the real Flash and Green Lantern, attack the bad guys and give the doppelgangers a chance to defeat the villains.
* The ''Captain America'' novel 'Liberty's Torch'. A crazed militia puts the Captain on trial and kidnaps a lawyer, a Mark Gruenwald homage, to give him an ultimately pointless defense. The lawyer even assists (a bit) in the climactic battle, preventing the [[Big Bad]] from escaping (and causing that [[Smug Snake]] to very satisfingly break his jaw).
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* In ''[[Lawn Dogs]]'', Devon, a 10 year old kid, witnesses her father, a former police officer, and an adult bully beat on her adult friend Trent after they mistakenly believed him to have abused her. She intervenes {{spoiler|by taking her father's gun and shooting the bully, and from there, stops the situation from getting worse}} and helps Trent escape.
* Aunt May in ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]] 2'' showed her mettle when Dr. Octopus tried to make her a [[Damsel in Distress]]. Though he did take her hostage, she saved [[Spider-Man]] by hitting Otto with her umbrella before he could impale Spidey in a sneak attack.
** Also appears in multiple in the original ''Spider-Man'' movie, when angry New Yorkers pelt the Green Goblin with junk, giving Spidey the chance to [[Take a Third Option|save both his girlfriend and a trolley car full of]] [[Innocent Bystander
*** Though by that point, they've already [[Spider-Man/Heartwarming|rescued the unconscious Spider-Man from falling to his death]] and [[Tear Jerker|given him back his mask, promising to keep his identity secret.]] And in any case, [[Spider-Man/Awesome|it's the thought that counts]].
*** Mary Jane [[Damsel Scrappy|FINALLY]] gets to be one in ''Spider-Man III'', saving Spider-Man from Venom by throwing a cement block on him, allowing Spidey to break free of his grip.
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** And getting mistaken for Hugh Hefner in ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]''.
* In the ''[[Die Hard]]'' movies, McClane ''has'' been a police officer, but he's never sent into the situations he gets into. He's just in the wrong place at the wrong time... again. By ''Live Free or Die Hard,'' he's well aware of his lousy luck.
** Although he's not a bystander in ''Die Hard 3'' - he's a target. It's [[Samuel L. Jackson]]'s Zeus who's the
** Number 4 has the meek computer hacker Matt Farrell, who stands up and shoots a mook, twice!
* This is the entire premise of [[Dustin Hoffman]]'s ''[[Accidental Hero (film)|Hero]]''.
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* Niki from ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'', who aids the rest of the superpowered main characters in New York during the first season finale largely out of choice, and not because of any knowledge of who the villain, Sylar, is. She beats Sylar with a traffic meter, even though she had never met any of the heroes (except Nathan and Parkman) prior to the final fight. Or Sylar, for that matter. She meets bystander criteria by being little more than just a single mom, albeit with super strength.
* A whole city of heroic bystanders appeared in the finale to ''[[Power Rangers in Space]]''. The Big Bad has invaded the city, and threatens to destroy it if the Power Rangers don't show themselves. [[Those Two Guys|Bulk and Skull]], two comic relief characters that had varying roles throughout the series, step forward and [[I Am Spartacus|identify themselves as Rangers, and the rest of the civilians follow their lead]]. This naturally pisses the villain off, but before she can order the city destroyed, the real Rangers announce their presence and morph, and begin to fight her horde of minions. Angel Grove's populace, ''[[Power Rangers/Awesome|led by Bulk and Skull]]'', join the fray and help the Rangers successfully fight them off.
* One of the unique "hooks" in the very premise of the 60s spy series ''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]'' was that in just about every episode the U.N.C.L.E. agents would be involved with an "innocent civilian" who would become a prime actor in the episode's plot. While sometimes these innocents would be persons persuaded by U.N.C.L.E. to assist them in their operations, in many episodes the innocent was just someone who happened to be around while Solo (usually) or Kuryakin was implementing the plot of the week, and thus got involved in U.N.C.L.E.'s operations as a
* John's girlfriend, Sarah, fulfills this role in the second episode of ''[[Sherlock]]''. She is on a date with John at the circus when Sherlock gets attacked by one of the company while poking about backstage in search of clues. When the fight escalates and bursts out onstage, Sarah grabs a random stick of some sort and beats the crap of out Sherlock's assailant, effectively taking the guy out of the fight and really helping Sherlock out, since he'd gotten knocked over and was lying on the floor at the time.
* In the ''[[Lost]]'' episode "Greatest Hits," Charlie is recalling the best moments of his life as he sets out on a suicide mission. #2 is saving a woman from an attacker, and her subsequently declaring him a hero, because three other people had passed by without intervening, and especially because Charlie was terrified and not used to fighting.
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== Web Original ==
* In the introductory story "Ayla and the Late Trevor James Goodkind" in the [[Whateley Universe]], we see Ayla go from being the victim of circumstances to the
** Unfortunately for Ayla, and the rest of Team Kimba, this happens to them ALL THE TIME!...Generally whenever they go to Boston. It also happens to Chou on her vactaion. Twice. In two different places! Probably another trope, since they are trained, but...Ayla gets it worse, when she fights Cthuloid monstrosity.
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== Real Life ==
* [[Truth in Television]]. In the real world this happens almost any time there is a serious disaster, be it natural (Hurricanes, earthquakes) or manmade (the attacks of September
** In fact, studies have shown that a surge of adrenaline at the right time can heighten people's abilities far past their normal limits.
** It's also a rather common occurrence during police chases. There are many instances of civilians helping policemen subdue suspects, while truckers usually collaborate via CB radio to help block rogue motorists.
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/jul/07/terrorism.world John Smeaton]. Kicked a terrorist [[Groin Attack|in the groin]]. Told the others that "This is Glasgow. We'll set about ye." The
** It bears mentioning that the terrorist [[Incendiary Exponent|was literally on fire]] at the time of groin kicking.
** And that he kicked him so hard he ''tore a tendon in his foot''.
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