History Main / BroughtDownToNormal

* [[LightIsNotGood Light]] [[AGodAmI Yagami]] of ''DeathNote'' loses his ArtifactOfDoom during the Yotsuba arc ([[spoiler: [[MemeticMutation all as planned]], of course]]) as part of a complicated MemoryGambit. He doesn't seem to particularly crave his absent powers - though he ''is'' extremely confused by the ordeal, and he is none to happy when [[ImHavingSoulPains they come back]].

* [[LightIsNotGood Light]] [[AGodAmI Yagami]] of ''DeathNote'' loses his ArtifactOfDoom during the Yotsuba arc ([[spoiler: [[MemeticMutation all as planned]], of course]]) as part of a complicated MemoryGambit. He doesn't seem to particularly crave his absent powers - though he ''is'' extremely confused by the ordeal, and he is none to happy when [[SoulPains they come back]].

** [[spoiler:Discord can take away a pegasus' wings and unicorn horns at a whim, which he demonstrates on the mane cast in the season 2 opener.]]

** It's also revealed that this was the ultimate fate of [[spoiler: Mr. Legend, the hero who Kotetsu idolized, inspiring him to become a hero as well. Unlike Kotetsu who, after a TenMinuteRetirement, continued to to act as a hero [[BroughtDownToBadass even after his powers had degraded to the point of bordering on nonexistant]], Mr. Legend did ''not'' [[DrowningMySorrow take his loss of power]] [[DomesticAbuser very well]]]]

** It's also revealed that this was the ultimate fate of [[spoiler Mr. Legend, the hero who Kotetsu idolized, inspiring him to become a hero as well. Unlike Kotetsu who, after a TenMinuteRetirement, continued to to act as a hero [[BroughtDownToBadass even after his powers had degraded to the point of bordering on nonexistant]], Mr. Legend did ''not'' [[DrowningMySorrow take his loss of power]] [[DomesticAbuser very well]]]]

* In ''DannyPhantom'', thanks in part to Sam's unassuming wish, Danny ends up an Average Joe without his ghost powers until she wishes it back.
** Let us not forget his almost suicidal attempt of removing them in the final episode in season 3.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': The BigBad of season 1, Amon, has the ability to take a person's bending powers away. [[spoiler:He eventually does it to Korra herself, but the trauma also unlocks her airbending, which she had been unable to use until then. Later she gains the [[SuperMode Avatar State]], restoring her own bending, and Aang teaches her to use spiritbending to restore everyone else's.]]

* In an episode of ''Series/JohnDoe'', a [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning strike]] causes the titular character to regain his color sight and lose his [[MagicalDatabase encyclopedic knowledge of nearly everything]]. The status quo is restored at the end of the episode by another electric shock.

* Happens in a direct-to-DVD/Netflix episode of ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', specifically to Comicbook/CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/TheMightyThor, and Comicbook/IronMan due to a magic spell. Captain America goes back to his scrawny, pre-Super Serum self, Iron Man is in his prototype armor (and doesn't know how to use it), and Thor becomes a mortal (and promptly gets his leg broken).

* Temporarily happens to [[spoiler: Hazuki]] in OjamajoDoremi, as punishment for [[spoiler: using her magic to heal someone despite knowing it's a taboo.]] Later happens to [[spoiler: ''all'' of the Ojamajo when they completely drain themselves to power to wake up Onpu from a ConvenientComa.]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Inverloch}}'' has the Severed elves, distinguishable by [[SupernaturalGoldEyes golden eyes]] and [[WhiteHairedPrettyGirl silver hair]], which are elves who are mortal and lacking magic.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''
** Rukia loses almost all her power to Ichigo in the very first chapter and spends many chapters in a gigai trying to recover. [[spoiler: The gigai, however, is specially designed to turn her into a normal human.]]
** [[spoiler: Aizen]] also suffered from IJustWantToBeNormal. [[spoiler: Ichigo believed the Hougyoku granting him his wish by stripping him of his unique power is the main reason why Ichigo and Urahara are finally able to defeat Aizen.]]
** [[spoiler: Masaki Kurosaki]] lost her Quincy powers thanks to [[spoiler: Yhwach]] and end up vulnerable when [[spoiler: Grand Fisher came to attack her and Ichigo.]]

* A plot in the ''{{JLA}}'' book saw six members of the League have their secret identities split off from their superhero selves. While Clark Kent, John Jones and Wally West saw it as a blessing, Bruce Wayne, Eel O'Brien and Kyle Rayner could barely hold it together.
** Arguably NONE of the heroes held it together - the split was mental as well as physical. So, for example, Plastic Man became an ineffective, gibbering fool, while his Eel O'Brien half reverted to the gangster he'd been before he got his powers. And Eel was doing a ''lot'' better than Bruce Wayne. The whole point was to show that the characters' hero and non-hero identities were both necessary to make up a complete person.
%%** [[YourMileageMayVary A mostly great plot]]. It would have been more consistent with their characters to have Wally be losing it and Kyle be okay. [[FridgeLogic How did Kyle deal with his need for a creative outlet a scant couple of years ago when he didn't have a ring?]] Answer: He drew (unless his Green Lantern half picked up all of his technical skill.) One guesses he just really got used to having the ring around in intervening years, it's hard to go back.
%%*** That was basically it, yes. After years with a GreenLanternRing, a pencil and paper seemed like a pale imitation.

* [[spoiler:What Crux attempts to do to Starfire in ''ComicBook/RedHoodAndTheOutlaws''. It didn't last for long, thanks to the Citadel's experiments on her.]]

* Episode 8 of ''Manga/{{Kotoura-san}}'' has the local {{telepath|y}} Haruka lost her powers due to a cold. Both pros and cons of a missing her powers were explored, although many are mundane in nature ("I can finally watch movies for the first time as I'm not spoiled at the theatre" or the like). Her power returns in the {{stinger}}, [[spoiler:[[CerberusRollercoaster in form of a]] FaintingSeer.]]

** Plus the one where a kid steals Clark's power with [[GreenRocks Kryptonite]] and [[LightningCanDoAnything thunder]]; when that same kid steals them again with [[KryptoniteIsEverywhere more Kryptonite]] and a power generator; when he and Lex are trapped in a series of tunnels with just enough Kryptonite to make Clark normal; the episode with Perry White and the solar flare thingies ([[PowerIncontinence half the time]]); when Jor-El takes his powers at the start of the ''Zod'' arc; when Jor-El takes his powers at the end of the ''Veritas'' arc; when the clone of Zor-El tricks the clone of his mom into tricking him into taking the [[PowerLimiter Blue Kryptonite ring]]; when Jor-El takes '''Kara's''' powers (and memories) for the vaguely plot-centric reason that [[SiblingRivalry her dad was evil]]; when they followed Brainiac into [[TimeTravel Krypton in the past]]; cloned Zod's BadFuture with the artificial red sun (and cloned Zod and his army of cloned Kryptonians have artificial powers, of course); and all the cloned Kryptonians count, too, though as clones they've technically never had poweres; and... all in all, ''{{Smallville}}'' writers just '''love''' to [[TrueArtIsAngsty take their character's powers away]].

** Superman also loses his powers permanently in ''World's Finest'' #178, and decides to try his hand as a BadassNormal hero - turns out he ''sucks'' at it (for one thing, he instinctively pulls his punches), but fortunately by the end of the follow-up story, {{Batman}} has promised to train him.

* In the {{Elseworlds}} series ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'' a strange wave of energy hits Earth causing heroes and villains alike to lose their superpowers. Some disappear into the woodwork while others reinvent themselves as {{Badass Normal}}s in the {{Batman}} mold. However, if you watched [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall one man's review]] of it, you'd learn the writers fucked up this execution royally.

** [[spoiler: Masaki Kurosaki]] lost her Quincy powers thanks to [[spoiler: Juhabach]] and end up vulnerable when [[spoiler: Grand Fisher came to attack her and Ichigo.]]

A character who has some kind of highly developed or superhuman ability loses it for an episode, has to experience life as an average Joe. Often, the character [[IJustWantToBeNormal actually enjoys]] the experience of being "normal". Otherwise, he will hate it and understand how hard it is to have [[SuddenHumility no superpowers]] to help you.

By the end of the episode he [[ResetButton gets his skill back]], usually just in time to save the day with it. After all, it may be interesting to see the hero without powers for a little time, but the people is JustHereForGodzilla, and ''want'' to see the hero in full action.

The polar opposite of FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome. Frequently comes with AnAesop about how it's actions, not powers, that make one a hero, or PowerLossMakesYouStrong. Contrast with AlwaysNeedWhatYouGaveUp, SenseLossSadness. SuperTrope of {{Depower}}. Compare FightOffTheKryptonite. May result from being a BrokenAngel. A possible solution occurs when the hero has GotTheCallOnSpeedDial. If the character can still kick major butt, they've been BroughtDownToBadass instead. For when an immortal character is BroughtDownToNormal, you'll want MortalityEnsues. When an [[BadassNormal already badass]] character with no superpowers gains them, that's EmpoweredBadassNormal.

A character who has some kind of highly developed or superhuman ability loses it for an episode, has to experience life as an average Joe. Often, the character [[IJustWantToBeNormal actually enjoys]] the experience of being "normal". Otherwise, he will hate it and understand how hard it is to have [[SuddenHumility no superpowers]] to help you. By the end of the episode he [[ResetButton gets his skill back]], usually just in time to save the day with it.

* Happens in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', specifically to CaptainAmerica, TheMightyThor, and Comicbook/IronMan due to a magic spell. Captain America goes back to his scrawny, pre-Super Serum self, Iron Man is in his prototype armor (and doesn't know how to use it), and Thor becomes a mortal (and promptly gets his leg broken).