I'm Not a Hero, I'm X: Difference between revisions

{{quote|'''Batman:''' You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I can do those things because I'm not a hero, like Dent. I killed those people. That's what I can be.

'''Lt. Gordon:''' No, you can't! You're not!

 

Often preceded by "You're a hero!" [[The Hero]] will respond: "I'm not a hero. I'm _____!"

* [[The Hero]] is [[Rule of Cool|awesome]]. May deliver the line as "I'm no hero. I'm ____man!", "I'm not a hero; [[No Except Yes|I'm a superhero!]]" or "I'm not a hero. I'm [[Just Doing My Job]]." If delivering the line to a villain and trying to be exceptionally [[Badass]], [[The Hero]] may say: "I'm not a hero. [[I'm Your Worst Nightmare]]" or something along those lines.

* [[The Hero]] is [[Humble Hero|humble]]. Occasionally accompanied by [[Think Nothing of It]].

* [[The Hero]] attempts to [[Refusal of the Call|refuse]] or [[Ignorant of the Call|ignore the call]], but [[You Can't Fight Fate|will eventually accept it.]]

* [[The Hero]] exhibits false humility. Can lead to [[Dude, Where's My Respect?]] or [[Dude, Where's My Reward?]]. This "hero" [[Small Name, Big Ego|may not be a hero at all]]. Can provide [[An Aesop|a lesson on the importance of humility.]]

 

A subtrope of [[I Am the Trope]]. Compare [[I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder]]. Contrast [[The Chosen Zero]].

{{examples}}

== Advertising ==

* This trope is [[Parodied Trope|parodied]] for [[Rule of Funny|hilarious effect]] in a recently released Cox commercial that provides the page quote above.

 

== Anime and Manga ==

* Jack from ''[[Pandora Hearts]]'' is very insistent that he's not a hero. It only ends up making him appear humble and sweet, not to mention more [[Estrogen Brigade Bait|tragic and cute.]]

** {{spoiler|[[The Reveal|Then it]] [[Wham! Episode|turns out]] [[Ax Crazy|he wasn't]] [[Big Bad|lying...]]}}

 

== Comic Books ==

'''Ray Palmer:''' (points to [[Affirmative Action Legacy|another Atom]]) ''He's'' a hero. I'm Ray Palmer. Welcome to ''[[Cold-Blooded Torture|pain.]]'' }}

* [[Warren Ellis]]' ''[[No Hero]]'', [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]].

 

== Fan Works ==

'''Chaos''': ''"I'm a Virus, Daemon. I'm not a good boy."'' }}

* Also played in ''[[Harry Potter]]'' fanfic ''The Apothecary Knows Best''. Severus Snape claimed to be ''just an apothecary'' when Harry called him a hero for having defeated a "Jester". (This fanfic's Dark Lord has his followers known as "Jesters" instead of "Death Eaters". Yes, this fanfic's Dark Lord ''is'' {{spoiler|Albus Dumbledore}}. Long story.)

 

== Film ==

'''Bella:''' You're not. }}

* In ''[[The Dark Knight Saga|The Dark Knight]]'', Batman delivers the page quote to reveal his [[Zero-Approval Gambit]].

* A variation of this occurs in in ''[[Spy Kids]] 3D''. After exiting the video game, Arnold's, Rez's, Francis's, and Juni's respective secret, non-virtual identities. Various types of this trope occur in the conversation that ensues:

{{quote|'''Juni:''' Hey, wait a second. [[Cyberspace|What happened]] [[Wish Fullfillment|to]] [[Smart Guy|Francis the Brain,]] [[Big Guy|Arnold the Strong,]] and [[Badass|Mister]] [[Lancer|Cool]]?

* In ''[[Twilight (novel)|Twilight]]'', Edward uses this trope as an attempt to warn Bella to stay away:

{{quote|''What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?''}}

{{quote|'''Ron:''' I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left. I know I was a -- a-- (''trails off'')

'''Harry:''' You've sort of made up for it tonight. Getting the sword. Finishing off the [[Soul Jar|Horcrux.]] Saving my life.

'''Ron:''' [[Heroic Self-Deprecation|That makes me sound a lot cooler than I was.]]

'''Harry:''' Stuff like that always sounds cooler than it really was. I've been trying to tell you that for years. }}

 

* In ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' episode "The Gift":

{{quote|'''Giles:''' ...[Buffy] couldn't take a human life. She's a hero, you see. She's not like us.

'''Ben:''' ...us?

*Giles smothers Ben to prevent Glory from ever returning* }}

** Done again in ''"The God Complex"''. In order to save Amy Pond, The Doctor must {{spoiler|break her faith in the idea of him as a hero.}}

{{quote|''The Doctor'': I stole your childhood and now I’ve lead you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens. Forget your faith in me. I took you with me because I was vain, because I wanted to be adored. Look at you, glorious Pond. The girl who waited for me. '''I’m not a hero.''' [[Meaningful Echo|I really am just a mad man in a box]]. And it’s time we saw each other as we really are. Amy Williams. It’s time to stop waiting.}}

** This gets amped up to eleven in the series 2 finale.

* As [[Who Wants to Live Forever?|Richard Alpert]] attempts to convince her to join "[[Spy From Weights and Measures|Mittelos Bioscience]]", [[Lost|Juliet Burke]], who is going through something of an emotional breakdown, tells him: "Whatever you think I am, I'm not. I'm not a leader, Mr. Alpert. I'm a mess."

 

== Music ==

* [[Nickelback|Nickelback's]] song Hero: ''"They say that a hero could save us; I'm not gonna stand here and wait... And now that the world isn't ending, it's love that I'm sending to you. [[Heroic Self-Deprecation|It isn't the love of a hero]], and that's why I fear it won't do..."''

* Kiss' "Just A Boy" from ''Music From "The Elder"'': "But I'm no hero, though I wish I could be..."

 

== Religion and Mythology ==

* [[The Bible]]. No, really. In the book of Obadiah. Both a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] and a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]].

{{quote|'''Obadiah:''' I'm not a prophet. I'm a farmer.}}

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

'''Sora:''' Huh? }}

** After which he then gives his name.

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

'''Battlecat:''' "Not tonight. I'm not a hero tonight. I'm a husband. I'm a father. That's what I am tonight."

'''Baron Samedi:''' "No... wait!" (followed by a long drop and a sudden stop) }}

 

== Western Animation ==

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:I Am an Index]]

[[Category:Superhero Tropes]]

[[Category:Call to Adventure]]

[[Category:Hero Tropes]]