History BewareTheSuperman / Film

** ''Series/JessicaJones'' takes a rather Cape Punk approach to the latter. Some civilians distrust Jessica, one accusing her and the other supers collectively of causing all the destruction. Because Jessica is a leather-wearing punk and doesn't identify with her universe's authority figures, rather than correcting the civilian or threatening to leave them to the alien menace like some characters would, she simply reminds the civilian to direct those complaints to "the flag waver" and other capes. Unfortunately, other civilians sometimes don't care. This is Truth in Television as people who have experienced a trauma at the hands of another nation may reject even a later improved version of that nation, and if it eventually abuses people's trust again, even in a smaller way, this will only strengthen the traumatized person's argument.

--> ''Series/JessicaJones'' takes a rather Cape Punk approach to the latter. Some civilians distrust Jessica, one accusing her and the other supers collectively of causing all the destruction. Because Jessica is a leather-wearing punk and doesn't identify with her universe's authority figures, rather than correcting the civilian or threatening to leave them to the alien menace like some characters would, she simply reminds the civilian to direct those complaints to "the flag waver" and other capes. Unfortunately, other civilians sometimes don't care. This is Truth in Television as people who have experienced a trauma at the hands of another nation may reject even a later improved version of that nation, and if it eventually abuses people's trust again, even in a smaller way, this will only strengthen the traumatized person's argument.

--> ''Series/JessicaJones'' takes a rather Cape Punk approach to the latter. Some civilians distrust Jessica, one accusing her and the other supers collectively of causing all the destruction. Because Jessica is a leather-wearing punk and doesn't identify with her universe's authority figures, rather than correcting the civilian or threatening to leave them to the alien menace like some characters would, she simply reminds the civilian to direct those complaints to [[Captain America "the flag waver"]] and other capes. Unfortunately, other civilians sometimes don't care. This is Truth in Television as people who have experienced a trauma at the hands of another nation may reject even a later improved version of that nation, and if it eventually abuses people's trust again, even in a smaller way, this will only strengthen the traumatized person's argument.

-->'''J.J. Jameson:''' He doesn't want to be famous? Then I'll make him infamous.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/Incredibles2 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/beware_superman.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"We no longer serve you, we serve only us! May the fittest survive."]]

** The trope is heavily discussed in ''Film/Shazam2019''. The last remaining member of the Wizard Council is aware of the consequences of giving his magic to the wrong person since their previous champion eventually went evil, so he wants to be sure that he gives it to a human pure of heart. However, since HumansAreFlawed, he takes too long to find one that meets his criteria, and is ultimately forced to give his powers to a kid and hope for the best.

** In ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', the massive destruction wrought by Zod and Clark's fight leads to widespread distrust of Superman from a significant portion of the world, including Bruce Wayne, who was present in Metropolis as he saw many of his employees die. This is also Lex Luthor's reason for opposing Superman, alongside what seems to be a [[RageAgainstTheHeavens hatred of Godlike figures]].
** In ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', after Superman comes BackFromTheDead he's confused and disoriented, delivering a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to the rest of the League, law enforcement, and the military. Thankfully he quickly comes back to his senses with a CooldownHug from Lois before any casualties occur and helps save the day, but both Cyborg and Batman have visions of a BadFuture with him becoming TheDragon to Darkseid.

%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.
%%
[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/Incredibles2 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/beware_superman.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"We no longer serve you, we serve only us! May the fittest survive."]]

!!Films -- Animated

!!Films -- Live-Action

!!Films — Animated
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': The premise of the SuperHero {{Deconstruction}} film has the titular SuperVillain try to [[CreateYourOwnHero create a new superhero]], after his traditional opponent, [[SupermanSubstitute Metro Man]], died. Megamind ends up giving the FlyingBrick powers to [[BitchInSheepsClothing seemingly]] lovable loser, Hal Stewart, and tells him to be a hero. When the girl Hal was [[StalkerWithACrush obsessed with]], rejects him, he decides to give up being a SuperHero and use his powers for petty crime instead. When Megamind taunts Hal in an attempt to get him to oppose him like Metro Man did, Hal turns into a flat-out SuperVillain, takes over the city and creates real havoc as opposed to the comparatively LaughablyEvil villainy of Megamind.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie'' had the eponymous characters treated as outcasts, after their game of tag destroyed most of the city.
* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite'', which is based on one of the definitive Superman stories, 'What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and The American Way'. At the end [[spoiler:Superman seemingly takes on the Elite's brutal style of heroics during their fight. The results terrify even the Elites, who'd been espousing their style for the entire movie, and proves WHY Superman holds himself to such a high standard. However, this ends up being an act as a means to scare the Elite without resorting to murder]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/SupermanDoomsday'', when Superman comes back to life following his battle to the death with Doomsday, he starts behaving more like a violent vigilante. The least offending act has him berating an old lady [[CatUpATree whose cat couldn't get down from a tree,]] and very subtly warning that it better not happen again, [[FridgeHorror or else.]] When Toyman kills a four-year-old girl, Superman goes to the police station where he's being taken, flies him up several hundred feet and lets go, killing him. When it's revealed that Superman is acting the way he is [[spoiler:because Luthor cloned him, and unknowingly conditioned him to be like him]], Superman rips out the red-sun room Luthor tried to lure him into from Lex Tower, and drops it hundreds feet onto the street. Seeing that Superman is getting out of control, the military is sent to apprehend him, and [[MilitariesAreUseless goes exactly]] [[CurbStompBattle as expected]]. He's only stopped because [[spoiler:the real Superman arrives to confront him, and used a kryptonite bullet to put him down]].

!!Films — Live-Action

* In ''Film/SpiderMan3'', we get elements of this when Spidey is influenced by the symbiotic suit, turning him evil. The public perception of him throughout the series sometimes reflects this as well. Specifically, J. J. Jameson plays up this perception to sell newspapers, much to Peter Parker's dismay. Jameson only does this because Spider-Man won't do an exclusive for his paper.

** The series plays with this trope, although it's more along the lines of '''Beware the Supermen'''. Generally, this attitude of not trusting superpowered mutants is seen in a negative light, but considering the villains that pop up, [[StrawmanHasAPoint some audience members might understand why non-mutants are so afraid.]]

** ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'': Dr. Bolivar Trask's goal in building the Sentinels is to prevent the extinction of ''Homo sapiens'' by ''Homo superior''. Naturally, he doesn't account for the fact that the Sentinels copying the mutants' powers inevitably makes ''them'' the new-and-crapshooted Homo Superior.
** ''Film/XMenApocalypse'' is about an ancient Egyptian God-Emperor who did use his superpowers to rule as a tyrant, and seeks to make a comeback in the 1980's. This is deconstructed, as over time all of his (surviving) minions (including ''Magneto'') lose faith in their arrogant, destructive bully of a leader and turn on him or flee.
* The trope was fundamental for the ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'''s beginnings:
** Jonathan Kent believes he is preventing this reaction in ''Film/ManOfSteel'' by trying to keep Clark's talents under wraps through his childhood. He even [[spoiler:willingly gives his life just to maintain his position]]. However, Clark can't resist his [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility instinct to prevent unnecessary tragedies when he can do something about it]] and eventually he is forcibly outed by Zod's invasion. Zod's invasion does indeed provoke this response from humanity (and rightfully so; [[KillAllHumans Zod's scheme]] likely [[InferredHolocaust left a six-digit death toll]] in its wake), though they also learn to believe Superman is their ally through the same experience, though the military is still wary at the end of the movie, with Clark disabling one of their drones, telling them to trust him.
** ''In Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', the massive destruction wrought by Zod and Clark's fight leads to widespread distrust of Superman from a significant portion of the world, including Bruce Wayne, who was present in Metropolis as he saw many of his employees die. This is also Lex Luthor's reason for opposing Superman, alongside what seems to be a [[RageAgainstTheHeavens hatred of Godlike figures]].
** And in ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}'', this fear of what a Superman-like entity could do if he decided to act against the world (or at least the interests of the U.S Government) is the driving force behind the creation of the eponymous squad of [[BoxedCrook supervillains pressed into government service.]]
** The trope is heavily discussed in ''Film/Shazam2019''. The last remaining member of the Wizard Council is aware of the consequences of giving his magic to the wrong person since their previous champion eventually went evil, so he wants to be sure he gives it to a human pure of heart. However, since HumansAreFlawed, he takes too long to find one that meets his criteria, and is ultimately forced to give his powers to a kid and hope for the best.
* In ''Film/PerfectCreature'', the Brothers are a [[ReligiousVampire Christian order of vampires]] that lives in peaceful coexistence with humans, who views them as benevolent creatures that are closer to God whose purpose is to teach and protect humans rather than prey on them. This trope comes into play, when a rogue Brother named Edgar goes on a killing spree, seeing humans as nothing more than blood-bags to feast upon.
* Played on multiple levels in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.
** There's regular Joes and politicians who think that the "supermen" like the Avengers should not be allowed to act on their own (one important reason being their collateral damage). These viewpoints get explored in ''Film/IronMan2'' and are the main driving factor behind the Accords in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''.
** On a grander scale, mankind finding out that gods exist in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' causes a few scares for mankind. ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' shows the effect a few times (mainly SHIELD's reaction), and by the end of that film actual aliens have caused massive damage in Manhattan, providing additional arguments for this trope in future movies.
** ''Series/WandaVision'' also explores this, as noted in the Live-Action TV section.
* ''Film/{{Brightburn}}'' is a horror film that casts a little boy with [[FlyingBrick Superman's powerset]] as the monster, and showcases, in true horror fashion, just how frightening someone with these kinds of powers and no concern for humanity can actually be. This film is essentially Beware the Superman, The Movie.
* ''Film/{{Glass}}'' toys with this concept in dialogue between Mr. Glass and the Horde, with Glass seeking to bring about this scenario to prove to the world that superpowered beings exist. [[spoiler:Meanwhile, [[CapeBusters the Clover group]] seen in the climax has apparently been working for ''10,000'' years to ''avert'' this. As explained by Dr. Staple, they have secretly spent [[AncientConspiracy millennia]] killing people with powers, good or evil, specifically to give humanity a fighting chance. With the Masquerade having been destroyed by the end of the film, it appears that only time will tell whether their fears were warranted or not.]]
* In Franchise/StarWars, especially the [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded]] [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Universe]], this is the reason why falling to TheDarkSide is so terrible. Even a single one of the weakest of Dark Jedi and Sith are powerful enough to kill small armies singlehandedly, while some of the most powerful can [[ApocalypseHow KILL ENTIRE PLANETS,]] as well as raise armies out of similar minded individuals. Just one Force User going Dark Side is enough to cause galaxy-wide chaos. And to make things worse, the Dark Side is addictive. Even if a Jedi slips into it by accident, it takes incredible willpower to turn back and avoid becoming a monster.
** Even Jedi who haven't turned to the Dark Side can often get this treatment from [[DependingOnTheWriter certain writers.]]
** This was one of the central arguments Creator/DavidBrin had against the world of Star Wars, arguing George Lucas's universe was based on a depraved MightMakesRight morality where {{Muggles}} had no role aside from spear carriers for a small, genetically elect elite.

* ''Film/{{Brightburn}}'' is a horror film that casts a little boy with [[FlyingBrick Superman's powerset]] as the monster, and showcases, in true horror fashion, just how frightening someone with these kinds of powers and no concern for humanity can actually be. This film is essentially Beware the Superman, TheMovie.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'': The premise of the SuperHero {{Deconstruction}} film has the titular SuperVillain try to [[CreateYourOwnHero create a new superhero]], after his traditional opponent, [[SupermanSubstitute Metro Man]], died. Megamind ends up giving the FlyingBrick powers to [[BitchInSheepsClothing seemingly]] lovable loser, Hal, and tells him to be a hero. When the girl Hal was [[StalkerWithACrush obsessed with]], rejects him, he decides to give up being a SuperHero and use his powers for petty crime instead. When Megamind taunts Hal in an attempt to get him to oppose him like Metro Man did, Hal turns into a flat-out SuperVillain, takes over the city and creates real havoc as opposed to the comparatively LaughablyEvil villainy of Megamind.