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 ==

* In ''[[Code Geass]]'', Lelouch has one of these moments {{spoiler|right after Euphie ended up going on an unintentional killing spree because of his [[Power Incontinence]], when a dying old lady asks him as Zero to save them}}.

* 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 ==

* An infamous [[Out-of-Character Moment]] from the [[Dark Fic|infamously terrible]] ''[[Cry for Justice]]'' mini-series.

'''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 ==

{{quote|'''Daemon''': ''"Why can't you be a good boy and give up!"''

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

 

== Film ==

* In ''[[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe|The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe]]'', upon learning of the [[Because Destiny Says So|prophecy]] that they shall be heroes, the Pevensies provide this little gem:

'''Susan:''' We're from Finchley! }}

* In the film, ''[[Twilight (novel)|Twilight]]'', Edward uses this trope to warn Bella to stay away from him.

'''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:

** The above declaration by Juni is also a reference to his facade as [[The Hero|"The]] [[The Messiah|Guy,"]] which was revealed shortly before the group's exit from the game.

* Near the end of ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'', when Pumpkin and Honey Bunny are robbing the coffee shop, and the manager attempts to cooperate:

{{quote|'''Pumpkin:''' I don't know, Honey Bunny. He looks like the hero type to me!

'''Honey Bunny:''' Don't take any chances. Execute him!

** Naturally, his character according to the credits was "coffee shop."

** Of course, the robbers' definition of "hero" is "anyone stupid enough to make trouble for us." Criminals are funny like that.

* In ''[[Team America: World Police]]'', Gary decides "I'm not a hero! I'm a dick!" after a mission results in the deaths of innocent bystanders. A drunk he meets at a bar gives him a pep talk about dicks, pussies and assholes that makes him feel a little better.

* [[Monty Python's Life of Brian|He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!]]

* In the film adaptation of ''[[Jumper (novel)|Jumper]]'', Griffin calls Davy this; In his experience, [[Teleporters and Transporters|Jumpers]] don't have the power to save anyone, as the Paladins are willing to kill entire families as collateral damage in killing Jumpers. The best Griffin's ever accomplished is escaping with his life after killing his enemies.

{{quote|'''Griffin''': ''You're not a hero! You're a Jumper! Don't you get it? '''You don't save the girl! You lose her!'''''}}

 

== Literature ==

* 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:''' 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.}}

'''O'Brien:''' You're right. I'm an engineer. }}

** This doubles as a {{spoiler|[[Crowning Moment of Awesome]], when O'Brien then saves himself by activating the improvised bomb that his soldier instincts had called for and his engineering skill had built.}}

{{quote|Sherlock: Don't make people into heroes, John, heroes don't exist; and if they did, I wouldn't be one.}}

* 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 ==

'''Jade:''' Aren't you?

'''Graveheart:''' C'mon, Jade, look at me! I'm just a miner.

'''Jade:''' You have no idea how ''tired'' I am of hearing you say that. }}

* ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'': "I'm not a hero. I'm not out to save the world. [[I Just Want to Be Normal|I'm just a girl with a geometry test next period and I haven't studied]]."

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:I Am an Index]]

[[Category:Superhero Tropes]]

[[Category:Call to Adventure]]

[[Category:Hero Tropes]]