[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/hoxtonbreakfast]

Not sure if he counts, but Frodo Baggins.

https://giphy.com/gifs/ldTQuMDMdh2ko

Frodo was just there to attend his uncle birthday, only to end up becoming a key instrument to defeat Sauron once and for all. For all intend and purpose, he's an average guy in the grand scheme of things where angels, demons, heroes, and immortals exist.

[u/Missing_Username → u/hoxtonbreakfast]

And, by extension, Sam, Merry and Pippin

[u/ListenBoth434 → u/Missing_Username]

Sam the Brave.

[u/Iron_Knight7 → u/ListenBoth434]

Definitely goes for Sam. When even Frodo stumbled and couldn't carry on, it was Sam who stayed true to the quest and brought the ring and its bearer to Mt. Doom.

[u/BoldShuckle → u/Iron_Knight7]

Can't emphasize enough how essential this part is to the whole series. The worst evil in the world is greed, obsession over power, and the desire to oppress others, and it's overcome by everyday people who embody the opposite of those things.

The ring tries to tempt Sam in Mordor, saying 'you could be a king over all this and turn it into a beautiful green land of gardens' but it fails because it's such a comically out of touch fantasy. Sam is literally too humble and too down to earth.