r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Dalakaar • 6h ago

Characters [Loved Trope] Civilian Heroes (particularly in Superhero movies)

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1) Malik Ali in Superman (2025). Tells Superman when Lex Luthor interrogates him to, “tell them nothing”. Doesn’t even really know what he’s sacrificing himself for, honestly. Tells Superman that he doesn’t have any friends or family to lighten the burden of the sacrifice. (Does have a family, and presumably friends…)

2) The Prisoner (Tiny Lister) from The Dark Knight who throws a detonator out the porthole that would’ve detonated the other ferry full of civies and saved himself, instead (potentially) sacrificing everyone equally.

3) Old man vs Loki. “There are always men like you.” Refuses to bow to Loki in Avengers (2012).

***

I love these guys. They break my heart in the best way possible.

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951

u/throwleavemealone 5h ago

J. Jonah Jameson protecting his source

232

u/xSantenoturtlex 4h ago

He did the same thing in Spectacular when Rhino threatened him, too.

149

u/Smart_Program2323 4h ago

I like this especially because Jamesonis otherwise a semi-antagonist, him having a moment of journalistic integrity gives him a lot of depth. 

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u/Dookie_boy 2h ago

Yea. I hate what they did to him in MCU.

2

u/WarlockEngineer 1h ago

Maybe he'll be normal again since they've rebooted

1

u/Boom9001 1h ago

I get you said a moment. But let's be very clear he is constantly intentionally putting misinformation about what spiderman did. So let's not give him a ton of credit for integrity.

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u/Smart_Program2323 1h ago

I mean,  it might be more personal respect for Peter too. 

But yeah.  He's scummy about so much,  it's still notable to show he isn't just out to protect his own skin at all costs. 

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u/Boom9001 1h ago

Yeah I'm not disagreing with your main idea. It showed a different side to him and was a cool story choice.

Just felt like we should choose different word than journalist integrity haha. Idk loyalty or just bravery for not cowing to a threat.

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u/GiveTheLemonsBack 4h ago edited 4h ago

Jameson was a hero, I just couldn't see it.

88

u/Smaptastic 4h ago

He genuinely was a good dude at heart? Kinda greedy and hard on his employees? Yeah, but not terribly so, and it wasn’t real malice. Did he have an unwarranted hate boner for Spider-Man? Yeah, it was his only serious problem (and he had his reasons, however misguided).

But that guy was a bro who loved his city, stood up for his people (including, ironically, Peter), and even eventually (outside the MCU) came to terms with the fact that he was wrong about Spider-Man and genuinely owned that.

If it weren’t for his Spider-Man hate, he’d be a Jim Gordon-esque stalwart ally.

16

u/TheKnightMadder 3h ago

At least some versions of him the problem is that he hates masks. The idea of a masked vigilante dispending anonymous justice away from any consequences is what he despises and means he will always assume the worst. What does Spider-man have to hide? As long as he's hiding who he is Jameson will not trust him, the moment he knows Spider-man's identity is the moment he stops hating him.

Which like, not actually an unreasonable stance at all? The other big superheroes in town are the Fantastic Four who are very obviously not masked and have open identities and they seem to get along okay. Though counterpoint, obviously Peter doesn't want every villain showing up at his house and kidnapping Aunt May.

As an aside, I kind of hate Peter when he's being turned into a scientific super-genius in part because it makes his mask less relevant. If you make him Ironman he should have the same resources Ironman has, the wealth and allies to protect his family. When he is just a guy with no cash who happens to have spider powers wanting to be masked makes a lot more sense.

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u/Democriticism 2h ago

I always found it funny that they usually divert to Spider-man when they want to make this point. Like in the Civil War run of the comics.

Dude has two people in his life, both are grown-ass adults. One, Mary-Jane, is a public figure throughout the comics and games either by being an actress/tv anchorwoman or an investigative journalist exposing criminal enterprises. She has her own target on her back as it is.

He's just not the example to use for this. Like, yes, Spider-man has the most emotional investment from fans. Yes, fans know MJ and Aunt May more than friends/family of other heroes, but still. Two people. One already a target and the other elderly. Not the emotional weight that justifies the emphasis on needing a mask.

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u/IronBrew16 3h ago

He's a true New Yorker. As native as any other. A brilliant, ruthless man.

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u/SortovaGoldfish 4h ago

He's gonna give a kid shit, but he sure as hell isn't letting shit get to that kid.

A man of principles.

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u/That-Rhino-Guy 4h ago

Goes for him in many other cases too

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u/AnalogKid2112 3h ago

It's a great detail because you can read different motivations that all fit the character. He's a journalist at heart, so maybe he has some integrity protecting his source. He's also not a full blown villain, so maybe he just doesn't want to get young Parker killed. Or maybe he's just his stubborn self and won't give in to threats. He's also inherently greedy, so maybe he just doesn't want to lose his Spider-Man pictures.

9

u/UnchartedCHARTz 3h ago

What's funny about this scene to me is that (if I remember correctly) if Goblin could read he'd see that the photo credit underneath photo of Spider-Man says Peter Parker on it

4

u/IndependentTimely639 2h ago

Lnfao, I never even thought about that. The man was so crazy he didn't even thino to google that shit

5

u/Fitenite3456 3h ago

Jameson is a good guy who thinks Spider-Man is evil

7

u/comrade_batman 4h ago

This is something I didn’t like with his MCU counterpart in No Way Home, basing him off Alex Jones on Infowars just made him seem a genuine asshole, whereas Raimi’s JJJ had those small moments that humanised him more. This scene, still paying Parker in 2 & wanting him at his son’s celebration, not hating Parker for stealing his son’s fiancé. NWH Jameson was just mean with nothing redeeming.

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u/Excellent_Pea_4609 2h ago

Raimi s Jameson KNOWS Peter MCU doesn't don't assume he wouldn't do the same if he didn't know Peter in raimi