Science Hero: Difference between revisions

* Some [[Marvel Comics]] heroes, such as [[Iron Man]] and the [[Fantastic Four]], venture into this trope when they run into foes that they can't outfight. Several of them are scientists who invent themselves ways in and out of trouble.

** For a short time, Hank Pym ([[I Have Many Names|aka Ant-Man, aka Giant-Man, aka Goliath, aka Yellowjacket, aka...]]) ditched the costume, code name, and powers altogether and fought crime in [[Civvie Spandex|a lab coat and civvies]] with nothing but his tool-belt full of super-tech. Recent plot developments have brought back the scientific acumen in full force. He's even got a fully functional pocket dimension ''lab'' on him at all times.

** [[The Hulk|Bruce Banner]] is a great example, especially during the recent storyline where he spent a good while Hulkless.

** Reed Richards stands out in this regard - his stretching abilities are usually used to make his research easier, not so much for fighting. In an issue of Marvel Team-Up from the 80's with [[Spider-Man]], he lost his genius, and was ''extremely'' upset, even telling [[Spider-Man]] that he has always considered his mind to be his true super-power.

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* [[Quatermass|Prof. Bernard Quatermass]], the first of many Science Heroes in British television.

* ''[[Star Trek]]'' in all its incarnations has heroes like this, though it throws in plenty of diplomatic and straight-up military challenges for variety.

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

** Dr. Rudolph van Richten of [[Ravenloft]] was about as close to this trope as someone whose field investigations involve undead and lycanthropes can get.

* The Sons of Ether in ''[[Mage: The Ascension]]'', gloriously so; they even have an informal Adventurers faction that's expressly made up of Science Heroes. Some members of the Technocracy might count as Science [[Anti-Hero|Anti Heroes]].

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* Dr. Hawkins of ''[[MDK2|MDK]]'' exemplifies this trope.

* Daniel Dankovski, bachelor of medicine from ''[[Pathologic]]''.

* In ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', Snake does all the sneaking and fighting, but Otacon's engineering and hacking is what enables him to do so.

* Giacomo, the main character of ''[[Rise of Legends]]'', who invented the [[Clock Punk|Clockwork Men]].

* Dr. Mordin Solus of ''[[Mass Effect]]'' may not be human, but his character is probably one of the straightest mainstream examples of this trope out there. Particularly in that he brings back the "scientists live by a code of ethics" part most seem to overlook.

** [[Your Mileage May Vary]], but Science [[Anti-Hero]] is as likely, given that from the outset he's also portrayed as a completely dispassionate killer when the need arises and {{spoiler|turns out to have been complicit in biological warfare.}}

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* For that matter, [[Jonny Quest|Benton Quest]].

* [[Dexter's Laboratory|Dexter]] (and later [[The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron|Jimmy Neutron]]) embodied this trope for kids shows. (Even though they ''cause'' nearly as many problems they solve.)

[[Category:Romanticism Versus Enlightenment]]

[[Category:Tropes On Science and Unscience]]

[[Category:The Utterly and Completely Definitive Guide to Cool]]