History Main / HeroicSecondWind

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Balto}}'': Balto finally accepts his wolf half after meeting the white wolf.

** Perhaps the most famous example is in issue #33 of the original ''[[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' run, where Spider-Man lifts a ''massive'' piece of steel he'd been trapped under, in a room filling up with water, when he reminds himself about the final ingredient of the medicine Aunt May needs [[RaceAgainstTheClock before it's too late]].

* Played so straight it became the ultimate example in ''ComicBook/MarvelTwoInOne Annual'' #7. A Cosmically-powered warrior called simply "The Champion" beams the strongest heroes of earth up to his ship [[CombatByChampion to Box with him]]. The fate of the Earth is at stake naturally. The Thing is the last hero into the ring (the others being mopped-up in short order by a bored champion or not really understanding Boxing, and thus being "disqualified" and punted back to wherever they were yanked from -- there's an absolutely classic moment where Thor pops up, thoroughly confused, wearing boxing gloves and trunks... ''and his winged helmet and cape''. Of course, since Norse gods don't box much, he proceeds to wing Mjolnir at the Champion and gets kicked out). The Thing gives a good account of himself before being savagely beaten down. He gets back up and attacks again, managing to injure the Champion before being beaten to an utter pulp. He gets up and manages to land a few more blows before being beaten through the floor. As the Champion goes into his spiel about the fate of the Earth, the Thing drags himself up and grabs him by the ankles (weakly). At which point the Champion declares "I could break your body, but I could never destroy your spirit" and leaves for other planets and other challenges. The story is based on a story in which Daredevil takes on the Hulk, which is itself based on a much earlier story involving Daredevil against the Sub-mariner.

* ComicBook/ThePunisher does this a lot. The most common reason for getting back up is having a flashback to the death of his family, ''especially'' when children are involved.
* This happens twice during the climactic final fight in ''ComicBook/TheReturnOfBarryAllen'' storyline: Eobard Thawne the Reverse-Flash keeps getting the upper hand on current ''Franchise/TheFlash'' Wally West, until the latter finally decides to go over his own limits and exceed the Reverse-Flash's speed. Wally says "[Eobard] is [[OhCrap not prepared]] for a fair fight". Then, when Wally is down again after a cheap shot, before Thawne could finish him off, a lightning bolt strikes the ground between them, allowing Wally to get back to his feet and defeat Thawne once and for all.

* John Hartigan did this twice in his story from ''ComicBook/SinCity''. His second wind was usually brought on by his old age and heart failure, rather than actual attacks. At one point, after being shot, he tells the attacker "Just getting my second wind".
* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** Depending on the author, Spider-Man's greatest power is not wall-crawling, web-slinging, or even [[YouFightLikeACow fighting like a cow]]. It's taking a Class A butt-kicking for 10 pages (complete with torn and shattered mask) before coming back to defeat the villain. [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy The movies]] followed this pretty accurately.
** Perhaps the most famous example being in issue 33 of the original ''[[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko The Amazing Spider-Man]]'''s run, where Spider-Man lifts a ''massive'' piece of steel he'd been trapped under, in a room filling up with water, when he reminds himself about the final ingredient of the medicine Aunt May needs [[RaceAgainstTheClock before it's too late]].
** ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManRenewYourVows'': Regent threatening Annie gives a beaten Spidey the extra motivation he needs to break out of Regent's power-absorbing chamber. No other super hero was able to break out of them until he did.
* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' stories:

** ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'': When [[Franchise/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] is fighting [[spoiler:Mongul, Mongul]] has him on the ropes because his skin is yellow and Hal couldn't use pieces of Engine City lest its Kryptonite fuel kill Superman again. Hal finds Steel's discarded hammer and attempts to lift it despite his injuries and donning Ring-powered exoskeleton. As he tries, [[spoiler:Mongul]] makes the mistake of assuming he broke Hal's spirit. This pisses off Hal so much that he creates a set of PoweredArmor that allows him to lift the hammer and proceeds to ''smash the weapon across [[spoiler:Mongul's]] face, knocking him out.''

* In ''Franchise/XMen'' story ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'', the X-Men are defeated. The Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club stands victorious. Wait! A single hand raises out of the sewers water, soon followed by a very pissed ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}: "OK, suckers. You've taken yer best shot. NowItsMyTurn!"

Contrast HopeSpot (when this is subverted). Compare and contrast IAmNotLeftHanded, for when the hero does this before being beaten too severely or is faking the severity of the beating they have taken. If you are looking for [[Administrivia/LaunchDisplacement the original (but unrelated) name of this trope]], see MyNameIsInigoMontoya.

* ''[[Fanfic/MLPNextGenerationKnowFear MLP Next Generation: Know Fear!]]'': During Starburst's battle with [[spoiler: [[TheStarscream Nox/Shadow Wing]]]] at the climax, he overpowers her and takes her power ring, intending to harness its power for himself in the war with Equestria. However, this just makes Star think about all the suffering he'll cause to her home, family and friends; tapping into that fear, she's able to remotely recall her ring from [[spoiler: Nox]] ([[AnArmAndALeg blowing off his arm in the process]]), recharging it completely, before managing to end the fight by killing [[spoiler: Nox]].

** The "Justice Friends" short "Dial M for Monkey" from ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' did a complete remake of ''Marvel Two in One Annual #7'' (see above). With "The Champion" renamed "Rasslor" (and voiced by pro wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage, [[CatchPhrase Oooooh, Yeeeeah!]]), The Justice Friends filling in for the rest of Marvel's line-up, and Monkey filling the shoes of Mama Grimm's blue-eyed boy. Played completely straight (Rasslor's final speech -- "I could break your body, but I could never destroy your spirit" -- is lifted verbatim from the comic, as the original writer gets a writing credit), which just makes it funnier.

** Carlos Colon's comeback sequence would usually be preceded by a cartwheel, which his son Eddie and daughter Stacy also took up, but not Wrestling/{{Carl|itoColon}}y, who rarely cartwheeled and [[BlackSheep was a heel]] when he did.

** Can't forget Sanji either: in Arlong Park he was on the receiving end of a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown underwater from Kuroobi the [[FishPeople Fishman]] but managed to survive thanks [[AttackItsWeakPoint breathing air through Kuroobi's gills]] and got back on land [[CurbStompBattle where the tables were quickly turned]]. In Enies Lobby he was beaten and turned into soap by Kalifa ([[WouldntHitAGirl due to his moral code]]) and left at the bottom of a staircase for several chapters, only to come back swinging when Monster Point Chopper inadvertently dropped a bathtub on him and JustInTime to rescue Usopp from Jabra who’s much stronger than Kalifa. In Thriller Bark, Sanji gets beaten all over and stabbed in the back by [[InvisibleJerkass Absalom]], however when Absalom stepped in a pool of Sanji's blood making a noise, Sanji grabs his leg and an ExtremeMeleeRevenge ensues.

** ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Shinji performs several comebacks, but they are all due to his EVA going berserk in ways that are more terrifying than awesome. And when Asuka tries the same thing it is subverted in the most mean-spirited way possible.

* In ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', the BigBad of the second arc, spamming his Game Master status, pins Kirito on the ground with gravity-based magic impales him with his own sword and proceeds to threaten his girlfriend. [[spoiler: former BigBad Kayaba returns to grant Kirito his powers as a Sysadmin]]: Kirito's second wind is so absolute and powerful that, without breaking a sweat, he turns the tide of his duel to a CurbstompBattle and a HumiliationConga.

** Ichigo often experiences this. He often needs to focus on protecting someone to focus his resolve. Lampshaded on one occasion by Ginjou who admits that he brought Orihime into their training fights because he knew if Orihime's life was in danger, he'd find his true strength much faster, precisely because Ichigo is someone who needs to protect others. One of the most dramatic examples occurs against Ulquiorra, who manages to blast a hole through Ichigo's chest, almost killing him. [[spoiler: When the almost-unconscious Ichigo realizes that all that's standing between Ulquiorra and Orihime's death is absolutely nothing, his resolve to protect pushes his body so far beyond the hollow state that it seems to mimic a full Resurrección. He proceeds to fight Ulquiorra in what can only be described as a CurbStompBattle. Prior to this, the person doing the curb-stomping had been Ulquiorra.]]

** Happens to Luffy close to the end of the [[RescueArc Enies Lobby arc]] [[spoiler: When Rob Lucci has beaten Luffy to the point that he almost gives up. His body begging for rest, and his will almost broken, it takes Ussop, (who he just had an argument with) revealing himself and challenging the Strongest [=CP9=] agent in history in front of Luffy, for him to snap out of his HeroicBSOD, stand back up, and blow Rob Lucci to Kingdom Come with one his strongest moves.]] Actually, it`s probably happened more than once.

* Touma from ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', being the {{Determinator}} that he is, does this a few times, namely in his [[spoiler: first fight against Accelerator, where he was already electrocuted before the fight, then tossed around in collateral damage attacks and explosions. He then gets back up and delivers a solid punch to Accelerators face, one-liner and all.]]

* ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'': Issei wins many of his fights under these sorts of moments, [[PlayingWithATrope and he deeply resents that fact]]. What good is strength that doesn't come until after the people he cares for have already been hurt?

* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Here, catch! Shana, tied up and powerless, unarmed, injured and [[ClothingDamage almost naked]] [[spoiler:breaks free, steals a magic sword and uses it to cut a creepy twin who has ''her'' sword to bits without touching him, takes hers back and chucks the magic sword right into the gut of the second twin over a period of roughly four seconds. The thrown sword is about seven feet long, very wide-bladed and just as heavy as you'd expect it to be.]] She got mad.

* In ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' the BigBad of the second arc, spamming his Game Master status, pins Kirito on the ground with gravity-based magic impales him with his own sword and proceeds to threaten his girlfriend. [[spoiler: former BigBad Kayaba returns to grant Kirito his powers as a Sysadmin]]: Kirito's second wind is so absolute and powerful that, without breaking a sweat, he turns the tide of his duel to a CurbstompBattle and a HumiliationConga.

* The final chapter of the ''[[Manga/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' manga ''Oracle of Seasons''. After seeing his friend [[spoiler:Pyoko, a Cucco chick who has been his constant companion since the ''very first page'', killed by the BigBad]], Link goes into a berserk rage, complete with a visible aura of blazing flames of wrath.

* ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' has two instances during the climax. Beset by a grapple by [[BigGood Captain McCrea]] who's trying to announce to all aboard the ''Axiom'' about the [[MacGuffin Plant]], AUTO, the ship's autopilot robot, has thrown Captain [=McCrea=] off (and everyone else on board) by [[GravityScrew deliberately miscalibrating the ship's gravity]]. WALL•E, damaged and losing power, finds the strength to jam and hoist back open the Holo-Detector that they need to insert the Plant into... until AUTO jams his taser weapon into the retraction button, crushing WALL•E in the detector to the horror of everyone watching. Captain [=McCrea=] then finds the strength to become the first human aboard to walk on his own two legs in generations to get back into the fight with AUTO (to the tune of StandardSnippet/AlsoSprachZarathustra), and he eventually deactivates the errant autopilot robot.

* In ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' has two instances during the climax. Beset by a grapple by [[BigGood Captain McCrea]] who's trying to announce to all aboard the ''Axiom'' about the [[MacGuffin Plant]], AUTO, the ship's autopilot robot, has thrown Captain [=McCrea=] off (and everyone else on board) by [[GravityScrew deliberately miscalibrating the ship's gravity]]. WALL•E, damaged and losing power, finds the strength to jam and hoist back open the Holo-Detector that they need to insert the Plant into... until AUTO jams his taser weapon into the retraction button, crushing WALL•E in the detector to the horror of everyone watching. Captain [=McCrea=] then finds the strength to become the first human aboard to walk on his own two legs in generations to get back into the fight with AUTO, and he eventually deactivates the errant autopilot robot.

* In ''WesternAnimation/WallE'' has two instances during the climax. Beset by a grapple by [[BigGood Captain McCrea]] who's trying to announce to all aboard the ''Axiom'' about the [[MacGuffin Plant]], AUTO, the ship's autopilot robot, has thrown Captain McCrea off (and everyone else on board) by [[GravityScrew deliberately miscalibrating the ship's gravity]]. WALL•E, damaged and losing power, finds the strength to jam and hoist back open the Holo-Detector that they need to insert the Plant into... until AUTO jams his taser weapon into the retraction button, crushing WALL•E in the detector to the horror of everyone watching. Captain McCrea then finds the strength to become the first human aboard to walk on his own two legs in generations to get back into the fight with AUTO, and he eventually deactivates the errant autopilot robot.

* In ''Fanfic/ThisBites'''s Chapter 42, [[TheHero Luffy]] is fighting [[PsychoForHire Lucci]] and collapses, extenuated. His crew bets him to stand and finish the fight, but he can barely hear them. Then [[spoiler:Gol D. Roger makes a PhoneCallFromTheDead and]] encourages Luffy to go beyond his limits and finish Lucci by reminding him that the [=CP9=] agent will kill [[TrueCompanions his friends]] if he doesn't stop him. [[PapaWolf Luffy]] stands up and destroys Lucci in the final fight, even using Armament Haki for the first time.

* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'''s series finale: [[spoiler:Roy Mustang is pinned to the wall with a sword through his shoulder, but rips it out to save the kid and finish off Bradley]].

** Topping all of the above is the one Pikachu gets in [=JN132=]: after collapsing and falling unconscious, Pikachu sees a vision of every Pokémon Ash has ever owned mentally cheering him on (alongside Ash himself), and proceeds to get up, raring to go. [[spoiler:It's at this point that [[ThemeSongPowerUp "Mezase Pokémon Master]], the very first anime opening begins playing as Pikachu as it clashses with Leon's Charizard one final time... and emerges victorious, making Ash the World Champion. It is ''THE'' CrowningMomentOfAwesome for Pikachu to end them all.]]

** Topping all of the above is the one Pikachu gets in JN132: after collapsing and falling unconscious, Pikachu sees a vision of every Pokémon Ash has ever owned mentally cheering him on (alongside Ash himself), and proceeds to get up, raring to go. [[spoiler:It's at this point that [[ThemeSongPowerUp "Mezase Pokémon Master]], the very first anime opening begins playing as Pikachu as it clashses with Leon's Charizard one final time... and emerges victorious, making Ash the World Champion. It is ''THE'' CrowningMomentOfAwesome for Pikachu to end them all.]]

** Topping all of the above is the one Pikachu gets in JN132: after collapsing, Pikachu sees a vision of every Pok&eacutemon Ash has ever owned mentally cheering him on (alongside Ash himself), and proceeds to get up, raring to go. [[spoiler:It's at this point that [[ThemeSongPowerUp "Mezase Pok&eacutemon Master]], the very first anime opening begins playing as Pikachu as it clashses with Leon's Charizard one final time... and emerges victorious, making Ash the World Champion. It is ''THE'' CrowningMomentOfAwesome for Pikachu to end them all.]]