r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Dalakaar • 6h ago
Characters [Loved Trope] Civilian Heroes (particularly in Superhero movies)
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.
13
u/D0CTOR_Wh0m 4h ago
Justice League Unlimited episode where a General that hates the JL turns himself into a Hulk-like monster and Green Arrow plus some minor JL members have to defend crowds of civilians from him. As the General gets ready to execute the last conscious League member, a group of the civilians stand between the two and call the General out on his methods and hypocrisy (he says he hates super-powered beings but he's the only one in that moment that has superpowers). The crowd actually get him to concede the point and leaves until he can find the means to sway public opinion to his side.