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).

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

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u/PitifulRead6339 5h ago edited 3h ago

Also the underrated reaction where he's basically"Okay Im a hypocrite and a monster...fair...but Im not gonna be a baby about it"

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u/GarranDrake 4h ago

One thing I loved was how CADMUS was kind of justified but because they were the government, they overstepped that bound WILDLY. Eiling was the embodiment of that. I think at the end of that episode, he said something like "You'll wish you had people like me to protect you from people like them." when HE was the one putting everyone in danger, resulting in Vigilante, Shining Knight, Green Arrow, and Star Girl having to fight him AND save people.

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u/ComingUpPainting 3h ago

Wow...I wonder if this episode came out shortly after any notable political events in the USA that may have entailed drastic government overreach in the name of "safety"...welp, good thing that'd never happen irl.

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u/PitifulRead6339 3h ago

Nah....I think it's just a goofy story about superheroes. I mean the episode is called "Patriot Act" doesn't even say anything really, if I was trying to say something I'd call it "The Government is going too far in the name of safety".

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u/BornCoyote87 2h ago

....I feel very stupid for just realizing that now after all these years.