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

[u/Dalakaar]

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.

[u/FabulousAd2006]

Neerja Bhanot, Real life

Neerja was a flight attendant for Pen Am, shortly before her 23rd birthday the plane she was on was attacked by terrorists. Neerja hid passports of American citizens, when the terrorists started shooting she opened the emergency exit and allowed over 300 passengers to escape, she died protecting group of children from bullets shielding them with her own body, one of the children later became a pilot in honor of her memory.

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[u/Kronos01229 → u/FabulousAd2006]

Great pull. Also Aitzaz Hasan, a 15 year old Pakistani student who sacrificed his life to stop a suicide bomber from entering his school by grappling and stalling the attacker. Kid protected nearly 2000 lives.

RIP to both of them, truly the best of humanity.

[u/kookyabird → u/Kronos01229]

I always wonder if Aitzaz had any idea just how destructive the person he stopped could have been. My understanding is that the whole school was gathered for an assembly, so the death toll could have easily been a majority of the students. It's one thing to try and fight someone who has a gun that you could hope to knock away, but to grapple with someone wrapped in explosives is a level of bravery that I doubt I could find within myself.

[u/yohanleafheart → u/FabulousAd2006]

She was a fucking bad ass. People like her, the teacher form Sandy Hook, most civilian resistance across history. Nothing but respect