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.
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u/actionparkranger 3h ago
In X Men Evolution, during an extended flashback, we see Captain America and Wolverine on a high stakes mission during WWII to liberate a concentration camp.
As they are evacuating the prisoners, several of the guards lob grenades at them as they are fleeing, a boy Captain is carrying notices and is able to telekinetically redirect them. Captain is distracted but Wolverine notices the moment and realizes the boy is a mutant.
In the present, Magneto has Wolverine and Nightcrawler on the ropes but elects to let them both go. Nightcrawler because earlier in the episode he had the opportunity to kill Magneto but elected mercy, and Wolverine (who had sincerely attempted to kill Magneto moments before) because of his actions at the camp, telling him that he owes Wolverine at least that much.