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{{trope}}
A hero is [['''Ignorant of the Call]]''' when he doesn’t know that he is, in fact, [[The Hero]]. Everybody around him knows that the character is the [[Chosen One]], but he, himself, just can’t see it. He fights the good fight and takes heroic actions… but it doesn’t seem heroic to him, nor does he think he was destined to do them. He simply does what he must because it is in his nature to act in that manner. When dealing with this sort of protagonist, the phrase “[[I'm Not a Hero, I'm ImX|I’m not a hero]]” (or a variant thereof) is often heard, along with [[Think Nothing of It]]. Don’t you believe it for a second.
 
In addition, since the [[Call to Adventure]] is either not overt at all, or else parallels the Hero’s actions so well that the two only seem to connect by coincidence, it is entirely possible for the hero to never realize that their actions have some larger, plot-related importance.
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Differs from [[Missed the Call]]. Often overlaps with [[Accidental Hero]]. Contrast [[Heel Realization]], where someone is ignorant of the fact that they're a ''villain''.
 
{{examples|Examples:}}
 
== [[Anime]] & [[Manga]] ==
* Ash Ketchum of ''[[Pokémon (Animeanime)|Pokémon]]'', at least in the movies. He likes to think of himself simply as a Pokémon Trainer, but time after time he stumbles into situations where it's clear only he could save the day. It's [[Lampshade|Lampshaded]]d in ''[[Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (Anime)|Pokémon 2000]]'', when the heroes realize that the phrase "The world shall turn to ash" didn't mean it would die, but the world would turn to ''Ash'' for help. His response? "Right now, I kinda wish that my mom named me Bob instead of Ash."
* [[Irresponsible Captain Tylor|Captain Tylor]]. Unless he's been [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]....
* [[One Piece|Monkey D. Luffy]] has taken down tyrannical presences and dangerous pirates, a malevolent self proclaimed god, and is currently pretty much taking on a government of well intentioned extremists, all while doing only what he wants to do.
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== [[Literature]] ==
* Arthur Dent in ''[[The HitchhikersHitchhiker's Guide to Thethe Galaxy]]''. His usual course of action is to simply react to events around him. This has led him to activate the Infinite Improbability Drive just in time to save the starship ''Heart of Gold'' from incoming nuclear missiles, learning to fly, and saving the universe at least twice.
* Darryl from the [[Young Wizards]] series of novels pretty much epitomizes this trope; {{spoiler|he is a living repository of magic literally sent by God to be a fountain of power for the magic of the human race}}. He remains blissfully unaware of the fact, mostly because {{spoiler|the knowledge of that fact would be lethal to him. If he ever became aware of what he was, he'd die. Just like that.}}
* Emelius Brown in ''[[Bedknobs and Broomsticks]]''. He's a con artist who seems to only be interested in making a fast buck, but [[The Power of Love]] drove him to act otherwise. Even after, though, he’d never call himself a hero.
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* Amazingly enough, [[James Bond]] doesn't think of himself as a hero.
* [[Ciaphas Cain]] is an interesting case: the galaxy at large proclaims him as the HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!, and he finds the reputation worth upholding, but privately thinks it's a big lie. Howwever, the action he's describing doesn't always jibe with his claims that he was only saving his own skin or trying to avoid greater danger.
* Raven, a supporting character in ''[[War of the Dreaming (Literature)|War of the Dreaming]]'', is like this. Yes, he's got {{spoiler|a magic ring and a secret legacy}}. So what? He's only trying to save his wife. [[Think Nothing of It|Anyone would do the same.]]
* In the [[Green -Sky Trilogy]], Raamo adamantly ''refuses'' to believe he is any better than other Kindar, despite being told this by everyone in range, including the ostensible High Priestess of the Ol-Zhaan. Ironically, it's because he refuses to buy into the elevated status that he gets the attention of [[The Lancer|Neric]], who needs someone that incorruptible to help him investigate his suspicions about how the Ol-Zhaan are running things.
 
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* Tommy Gavin, from ''[[Rescue Me]]''.
{{quote| "I ain't no hero. I'm a fireman."}}
 
== [[Theater]] ==
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== [[Western Animation]] ==
* [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in Disney's ''[[Robin Hood (Disney film)|Robin Hood]]''. Friar Tuck says that Rob is a hero, but Robin just laughs it off.
{{quote| '''Robin: ''' "Did you hear that, Johnny? We've just been pardoned!"}}
* Graveheart of ''[[Shadow Raiders]]''. "I'm just a miner."
 
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[[Category:Call to Adventure]]
[[Category:Hero Tropes]]
[[Category:Ignorant Ofof Thethe Call]]
[[Category:Trope]]
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