Jumped At the Call: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

For some heroes, when they receive the [[Call to Adventure]], they [[Refusal of the Call|refuse the call]]. When they finally accept the call, they continue to complain that "[[I Just Want to Be Normal]]".

 

 

These heroes are excited when adventure comes calling. They never, ever, ''ever'' say "[[I Just Want to Be Normal]]". They already have a costume, already picked out a codename, and they have been practicing how to deliver a [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner]]. They're already swallowing the [[Red Pill, Blue Pill|red pill]] before you can even offer them the blue. About the worst thing you could do to them is to [[Brought Down to Normal|bring them down to normal.]] Or tell them someone else [[Missed the Call]]. They don't even care that [[Sour Supporter|more experienced people are reluctant]]; [[Least Is First]].

Often, had a [[Changeling Fantasy]] once upon a time, and generally has [[Otaku]] tendencies. He is truly [[Ascended Fanboy|living the dream]]. Such a hero is also the most likely to be [[The Unchosen One]], the Chosen hero that chooses himself.

 

 

When a hero is given a chance at returning to heroism and jumps at it, he is usually in love with being [[In Harm's Way]]. Neophytes might think themselves in love with it, and may actually turn out to be, but they may also discover, after real adventures, that they do not love it after all.

 

Compare/Contrast [[The Team Wannabe]].

{{examples}}

* Takamachi Nanoha from ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]''. At the age of nine, she was already [[Desperately Looking for a Purpose In Life]], though she certainly wasn't thinking "magical girl". [[Resigned to the Call|Though she has a hesitant beginning]], she soon becomes extremely enthusiastic about her new "destiny". Let's be honest here, the girl loves to fight as a magical girl.

* Yui Kasuga from ''[[Corrector Yui]]'' was an [[Otaku]] obsessed with [[Magical Girl]], and loved the idea of being one herself.

* Though Minto Aizawa in ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'' wasn't happy about working with Ichigo at first, manga extras note that she thought it was her destiny to become Mew Mint and was even secretly delighted, which fits well with her reaction to her object of affection's [[Refusal of the Call]].

* Subverted in ''[[The Twelve Kingdoms]]'': the [[Genre Savvy]] Yuka Sugimoto is thrilled at the prospect of being the heroine of a [[Trapped in Another World]] adventure story when a mysterious blond [[Bishonen]] and a flying monster or two show up at her high school... except she isn't and they weren't there for ''her''. The ''real'' heroine of the story, her classmate Youko Nakajima, has a typical (and one might say extreme) [[Refusal of the Call]] reaction to the early events of the series. Unfortunately, {{spoiler|Yuka's stubborn insistence that ''she'' was the one being called causes her to act as an antagonist}} for a significant chunk of the first [[Story Arc]]. {{spoiler|To her merit, opnce she ''does'' realize how mistaken she was, Yuka conceeds and goes back home, letting Yoko take over.}}

* Kazuki from ''[[Parallel Trouble Adventure Dual]]'' provides an excellent example of this. The second-in-command of Sanada's organization prepares a long, overwrought speech trying to convince him to fight in a mecha on behalf of their organization, and she is barely able to get five words out before Kazuki readily agrees.

* Gai Daigoji from ''[[Martian Successor Nadesico]]'' (real name: Jiro Yamada, but he didn't think that sounded heroic enough) is so eager to be a [[Humongous Mecha|giant robot]] pilot that he arrives to his post three days ahead of schedule. He promptly breaks his leg from showing off (literally).

** When a shopkeeper informs him that the particular ARM he's looking for (Monpierre Blanc, which can send him back home) isn't in her selection and would probably be far too rare and expensive to just buy somewhere, he's relieved; he'd been worried his adventure would end too soon.

* Asuka from ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' has been a Mecha pilot most of her life and revels in it. In fact, facing alien invaders is about the only thing she doesn't complain about. Finding herself paired up with a reluctant hero who is all "[[I Just Want to Be Normal]]" (Shinji) leads to a certain amount of tension. Add in an [[Emotionless Girl]], and the whole gig starts to lose its luster. When it starts to become clear that she isn't [[The Chosen One]] and is likely to end up a [[Sidekick]] at best, she starts down the [[Hourglass Plot]] path, ending up in [[Mind Rape]] and [[Convenient Coma]].

** Admittedly, this seems to be a family trait - her father does exactly the same thing.

** Prince Phil (Ameila's dad) went so far as to fake his death and start running around the rooftops in a ''frikkin' Batman costume''. Despite being the bloomin' ''King''!!

* Who could forget (the great) Kamina(-sama) of ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]''? When a giant mech, technology that was completely unknown, drops into their underground village, he stands up to it and threatens it with a completely ordinary katana, heroic speech at hand. Even after the girl with the absurdly powerful rifle, also unknown technology to the village, barely damages it. Then again, ''[[Katanas Are Just Better]]''. This is just the start - his entire job in the series seems to be heroic speeches and epic-but-ridiculous action, down to [[Calling Your Attacks|called attacks]] like the "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?! KICK!".

* After seeing Shizuru effortlessly demolish a fleet of battleships in the first episode of ''[[Mai-Otome]]'', Arika made the decision on the spot to start her path toward becoming a full-fledged Otome just like Shizuru, as part of her journey to find her long-missing mother.

** It probably doesn't help matters much that she receives encouragement from Haruka Armitage shortly thereafter.

* Joshua Carver of ''[[No Hero]]'' not only jumped at the call but he chased after it aggressively.

* [[Empowered]], full stop. You can see how much she wanted to become a superheroine if you consider that she gets her powers from a [[Stripperiffic]] super suit which loses powers immediately when ripped (which happens constantly) and still doesn't give up.

* [[Wonder Woman|Cassie Sandsmark]] went to great lengths to become a superhero, starting at stealing enchanted artifacts to empower herself, and eventually marching right up to the king of the gods and asking him for powers.

 

== Fan Works ==

* Sort of, in ''[[With Strings Attached]]''. In the Prologue, Varx offers Paul the chance to go on “a great adventure.” Paul, thinking he's dreaming, readily accepts. Except Varx then reveals he's not dreaming, so he suddenly has second thoughts—but whoops, too late.

{{quote|'''Sorting Hat:'''"You're just guessing, or to put it more exactly, wishing that you have some ready-made heroic role that is your personal property." }}

* Eidolon and Shift from ''[[DC Nation]]'' are raging, hard-core superhero fanboys who totally jumped at the chance to become heroes in their own right. [[Green Lantern]] Travis Grey pickpocked his ring, used it to clean up his crappy, inner-city neighborhood. When the senior lanterns come back for the ring, he just dares them to take it. Guy is so impressed by this, he offers to train the kid.

* Trish from ''[[Angels Revenge]]''. You do have to wonder about the wisdom of a teenaged scholgirl with no combat skills deciding to force her way on to a team plannning to take on a ruthless drug cartel.

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VFPtY7hiGw Lampshaded] by Rhino the Hamster, the [[Ascended Fanboy]] from ''[[Bolt]]''.

* Robert Parr aka Mr. Incredible from ''[[The Incredibles]]''. When he was forced to retire, he didn't fall into civilian life like other heroes did (like his wife Helen, alias Elastigirl, and his best friend Lucius alias Frozone) and missed the action. So much in fact, that he jumped at an opportunity that turned out [[Be Careful What You Wish For|too good to be true]].

** This was subverted in the opening act, with Mr. Incredible saying in an interview that he doesn't see himself doing superhero work forever, and Elastigirl boasting about being on top of her game and not about to quit. They end up switching attitudes when they're later forced to act normal.

* Steve Rogers in ''[[Captain America: The First Avenger|Captain America the First Avenger]]'' was very eager to answer the call, despite being put on hold multiple times due to his poor health. When offered the chance, he jumps at it with all his might and does everything he can to make sure he uses his powers for good. This logic also extends to his friends, who are only too happy to follow him into battle even after just escaping near certain Death.

* This is part of the reason why the ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]'' films have been so successful. In contrast to heroes like Spider-man and Batman, Tony Stark is a man who seems to genuinely enjoy being a hero and makes the most of his talents. Its refreshing to see a film where being a superhero actually looks fun and not like a chore.

 

 

* Lampshaded in one of ''[[The Executioner]]'' novels. A female journalist asks [[Vigilante Man]] Mack Bolan why he's engaged in his [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]] against [[The Mafia]]. Bolan replies that he was "simply the one there when the duty roster was handed out". When she scoffs at this answer, Bolan replies that, just as it's ridiculous for him to assume she should give up her career in journalism and become a housewife, it's ridiculous for her to think he'll forsake his far-more extensive military skills (which he lists in detail) and ignore what the mob is doing to his own country.

* Sam Gamgee in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' is thrilled by the prospect of "going to see Elves and all." Merry and Pippin are also insist on coming along - and even have a "conspiracy" set up to keep Frodo from leaving the Shire without them - but that's more the [[Power of Friendship]].

* [[Harry Potter]] gets to adventure even before the call, then when the call actually comes it's his uncle who tries to prevent him from recieving it, but [[The Call Knows Where You Live]], (in the form of Hagrid) then during the second book Dobby tries to prevent him from going back to his school of adventure. Interestingly enough, even after accepting the call he is reluctant about having to fight Voldemort, that's until he realizes how much fun he has fighting evil (and even gets his own little army), he's also willing to hurt anyone who gets in the way of his adventure (even his own friends).

* Most of the main characters of ''[[The Wheel of Time]]'' were terrified at having to flee their isolated little village in order to [[The Call Knows Where You Live|lead the ravening monsters away from their loved ones]]. Egwene hid in a hayloft to make sure they didn't leave without her.

* In ''[[Doctor Who]]'', the Doctor didn't jump at the call, he stole a TARDIS and went looking for it.

** In terms of the Doctor's companions, this serves as a distinction between the old and the new series. Becoming a companion in the old series is much less voluntary, a moment of [[Curious as a Monkey|what's in that box]] and sometimes continues under some duress. In the current series, the Doctor seems to choose his companions based on this trope.

* Faith's far more enthusiastic acceptance of being [[The Chosen One]] compared to Buffy in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''.

** In the seventh-season episode "Potential", {{spoiler|this trope is turned on its head when Dawn at first jumps at the Call - after all, she's one of the only non-powered people among a bunch of superheroes, and the youngest to boot! - only to find out that the Call ''wasn't for her after all''. Talk about a downer. Then again, in the Season 8 comics she gets [[Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever|perhaps more than she bargained for...]]}}

* Mack from ''[[Power Rangers Operation Overdrive]]'' jumps at the call to become Red Ranger. This is against his father's wishes, as said father was originally going to be Red himself before his son snuck the morpher out from under him. This is notable within PR because 95% of Rangers over the course of the franchise either [[Refusal of the Call|refuse the call]] initially or accept with [[I Just Want to Be Normal]] undertones.

* ''[[Supernatural]]'':

** While his brother, Sam, instead jumped at the chance to go to college, Dean stayed on with hunting and loved it. (This was before he [[Break the Cutie|got broke]]. Now he's not exactly so eager about it.) Arguably this could be more because he followed his Dad's orders without question and couldn't even comprehend disobeying than anything to do with noble heroics.

* Midori 'Dolly' Komaki of ''[[Devil Survivor]]'' is a cosplaying camgirl. Once she witnesses your small band of survivors battling demons with your own summoned [[Mons]], she squeals at the thought of "real heroes!" and literally snatches up a COMP of her very own. Unfortunately, she apparently snags an [[Idiot Ball]] along with it...

* The protagonist in ''[[Quest for Glory I]]: So You Want To Be A Hero'' goes out looking for quests to complete so that he can gain the title of hero after graduating from the "Famous Adventurer's Correspondance School".

* All the [[Villain Protagonist]] leads in the ''[[Overlord]]'' series eagerly embrace their destinies. Even the Overlord of the original game {{spoiler|completely ignores the reveal that he's actually a literal Hero groomed to be the previous Overlord's puppet placeholder, and instead kicks his predecessors butt and keeps the title and power for himself}}

* Most of the Origin stories in ''[[Dragon Age]]: Origins'' allow the player character to either drag his/her feet and try to reject recruitment by the Grey Wardens, or eagerly badger authority figures to be allowed to join.

* ''[[Dragon Quest V]]'', the speechless hero either wanders or sneaks off to adventures to save people ''three times'' during his childhood, much to his father's worry.

* The player does this in ''[[Dark Souls]]''. Given that the choice was either this or rot in his cell for all eternity, it's easy to see why.

 

== Webcomics ==

 

{{quote|'''Torg''': And why are Lots 189 through 205 closed for repair?

'''Riff''': I don't want to talk aboud it.

* Mr. Mighty from ''[[Everyday Heroes]]''. Superpowers run in his family, and he was eager to inherit the name. His daughter, on the other hand, would [[I Just Want to Be Normal|rather just be normal]].

* [[Megatokyo|Largo]] not only actively seeks [[The Call]], he is one of the few people who hears it.

* Monica and Shelly, of ''[[Wapsi Square]]'' are currently experiencing this after trying to settle back into normal life.

* ''[[Spinnerette]]'' has wanted nothing more than to be a superhero her entire life. The first thing she does after getting mutated with spider DNA and gaining four extra arms? Try to figure out what name she'll use.

'''Reimu''': You flatter me because it's true! Also, do you know what this means? IT IS TIME TO RESOLVE AN INCIDENT! *clenches fist*

'''Sakuya''': Um, okay, the geyser incident was less than a year ago. Could you not act like you're physically addicted to incidents, please? }}

 

 

[[Category:Call to Adventure]]

[[Category:Hero Tropes]]