History Main / HeroicSpirit

* Tenma from ''Anime/{{Monster}}'' just won't break. Ever.

* Goku, particularly in the ''Anime/DragonballZ'' arcs could be said to be this. He refuses to surrender to [[DespairEventHorizon hopelessness or despair]], will keep fighting even as his body breaks down, and will [[HeroicRROD willingly tear his own body apart]] and [[HeroicSacrifice give his life]] if it means even a remote chance of winning. He will only surrender if he knows that there is absolutely no chance of victory or he's physically unable to move anymore.

->''"It's not in the circuitry, is it? It's not the machine that resists you; it's me, my spirit! And that's the part you can't break!"''
-->-- '''Cyborg''' to Brother Blood, ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003''

* In ''ComicBook/MarvelTwoInOne'' Annual #7, a cosmically powered warrior called simply "The Champion" beams the strongest heroes of Earth up to his ship 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 defeated in short order by a bored Champion, or 'disqualified' for not really understanding boxing and sent back to wherever they were yanked from). 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.
** That line of dialogue, or something very like it, appears in many of the examples that followed it, making this the UrExample for modern western media.
** Given a WholePlotReference in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', with Monkey in place of the Thing (see below).
* This is more or less what allows members of the ComicBook/GreenLantern Corps to use their rings.

** Alan Scott, the Green Lantern of ''ComicBook/{{Earth 2}}'', needs to be focused in order to create constructs. While fighting [[spoiler: Grundy]] he's unable to create constructs because he was still fazed by [[spoiler: the death of his lover, Sam]]. When The Grey tries to tempt him with [[spoiler: an apparition of Sam]], Alan fights it off and becomes focused enough to create constructs.

** ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #33 was one of the best issues of [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run]]. It is the third part of ''ComicBook/IfThisBeMyDestiny'' three-part arc. Spider-Man is trapped under a huge piece of equipment after a fight with Doctor Octopus. His Aunt May is dying and needs a serum to cure her. Spidey thinks about giving up, but he's determined not to let Aunt May down. He uses every ounce of strength and will and finally lifts the wreckage off. The sequence was later adapted in the animated series ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' in the episode "Shear Strength", and partially adapted [[spoiler: in live-action near the climax of ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.]]
** In ''Peter Parker: Spider-Man'' #30-#32, Spidey also fought off a broken neck. Of course, it wasn't really broken, but with the villain in question (Fusion) being a MasterOfIllusion, he didn't ''know'' that until he was clenching his fists and standing up for another go.
** ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen'' takes even further, as Spidey deliberately traps himself in cave with a [[CosmicEntity Phoenix Force]]-possessed Colossus and Magik in order save fellow Avengers. Keep in mind Colossus and Magik have [[TheWorfEffect just beaten Thor]] and naturally subject Spidey to a painful to read NoHoldsBarredBeatDown, but does Peter give in? ''Nope'' even with his skull broken and his mask full of blood Spidey the perennial underdog [[TheDeterminator refuses to give in]] and manages to survive the insurmountable odds.

* The protagonist of ''ComicBook/{{Empowered}}'' has a super-suit that doesn't work properly, more issues than a comic-book warehouse, ends up naked, bound and gagged almost every freaking ''day,'' and is either a joke to, or suspected of really being a villain by, almost every other hero in her universe. Yet she absolutely will not ''stop.'' She is nearly a Platonic ideal of the {{Determinator}} version of this trope.
* ComicBook/{{Superman}}, as the archetypical superhero, is a shining example of this trope.
* ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} never quits... ''ever''. Even if she has been beaten, depowered, weakened, captured... by enemies that outnumber her, overpower her, or outsmart her, she will fight on until winning or dying.
* As is ComicBook/{{Batman}}. Most of the time, nothing will keep him down. It's notable that part of Bane's plan to actually defeat Batman involved running him completely ragged by basically hurling his ''entire Rogues Gallery'' at him all at once, ''while he was sick.'' And even so, Batman ''still'' basically tore apart everyone Bane tossed at him, refused to stop when was ambushed at his ''civilian'' home by Bane's QuirkyMinibossSquad, and ''still'' put up a hell of a fight against Bane himself.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spidey_heroics.jpg]]]]

* In "Marvel Two in One Annual" #7. A cosmically-powered warrior called simply "The Champion" beams the strongest heroes of Earth up to his ship 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 defeated in short order by a bored Champion, or 'disqualified' for not really understanding boxing and sent back to wherever they were yanked from). 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.

* ''Comicbook/SpiderMan'':

** ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #33 was one of the best issues of [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run]]. It is the third part of "If This Be My Destiny" three-part arc. Spider-Man is trapped under a huge piece of equipment after a fight with Doctor Octopus. His Aunt May is dying and needs a serum to cure her. Spidey thinks about giving up, but he's determined not to let Aunt May down. He uses every ounce of strength and will and finally lifts the wreckage off. The sequence was later adapted in the animated series ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' in the episode "Shear Strength", and partially adapted [[spoiler: in live-action near the climax of ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.]]

** ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #33 was one of the best issues of [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run]]. It is the third part of "If This Be My Destiny" three-part arc. Spider-Man trapped under a huge piece of equipment after a fight with Doctor Octopus. His Aunt May is dying and needs a serum to cure her. Spidey thinks about giving up, but he's determined not to let Aunt May down. He uses every ounce of strength and will and finally lifts the wreckage off. The sequence was later adapted in the animated series ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' in the episode "Shear Strength", and partially adapted [[spoiler: in live-action near the climax of ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.]]
** Spidey also fought off a broken neck. Of course, it wasn't really broken, but with the villain in question (Fusion) being a MasterOfIllusion, he didn't ''know'' that until he was clenching his fists and standing up for another go.

* Franchise/{{Superman}}, as the archetypical superhero, is a shining example of this trope.

* As is Franchise/{{Batman}}. Most of the time, nothing will keep him down. It's notable that part of Bane's plan to actually defeat Batman involved running him completely ragged by basically hurling his ''entire Rogues Gallery'' at him all at once, ''while he was sick.'' And even so, Batman ''still'' basically tore apart everyone Bane tossed at him, refused to stop when was ambushed at his ''civilian'' home by Bane's QuirkyMinibossSquad, and ''still'' put up a hell of a fight against Bane himself.

[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/SpiderMan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spidey_heroics.jpg]]]]

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #33 was one of the best issues of the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run. It is the third part of "If This Be My Destiny" three part arc. Spider-Man trapped under a huge piece of equipment after a fight with Doctor Octopus. His Aunt May is dying and needs a serum to cure her. Spidey thinks about giving up, but he's determined not to let Aunt May down. He uses every ounce of strength and will and finally lifts the wreckage off. The sequence was later adapted in the animated series ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' in the episode "Shear Strength", and partially adapted [[spoiler: in live-action near the climax of ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:He isn't just holding that rubble up. He eventually makes himself lift it.[[note]]To put that in full context, while Spider-Man ''does'' possess SuperStrength, the wreckage he was trapped under was so heavy that Spider-Man had to exert roughly '''ten times''' his general-maximum strength limit to actually do that. ''And he did.''[[/note]]]]

-->-- '''Cyborg''' to '''Brother Blood''', ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003''

[[caption-width-right:350:He isn't just holding that rubble up.\\
[[Awesome/SpiderMan He eventually makes himself lift it.]][[note]]To put that in full context, while Spider-Man ''does'' possess SuperStrength, the wreckage he was trapped under was so heavy that Spider-Man had to exert roughly '''ten times''' his general-maximum strength limit to actually do that. ''And he did.''[[/note]]]]

[[Awesome/SpiderMan He eventually makes himself lift it.]][[note]]To put that in full context, while Spider-Man does possess superhuman strength, the wreckage he was trapped under was so heavy that Spider-Man had to exert roughly TEN TIMES his general-maximum strength limit to actually do that. And he did.[[/note]]]]

[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome He eventually makes himself lift it.]][[note]]To put that in full context, while Spider-Man does possess superhuman strength, the wreckage he was trapped under was so heavy that Spider-Man had to exert roughly TEN TIMES his general-maximum strength limit to actually do that. And he did.[[/note]]]]

[[folder:Films]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'' has done this a number of times. Most notably with Usopp the LovableCoward, since he pretty much ''needs'' Heroic Spirit to break through his fear. His fight with Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas had him stand up after taking a four ton bat ''to the face.'' His battle with Perona did this more literally, with Usopp calling upon his alter ego Soge King to save him.

* Endou from ''Anime/InazumaEleven'' has been knocked down so many times by powerful shoots, and even when other people wouldn't have been able to stand, he struggles to his feet so that his team can continue to play and win the match.

-->-- '''Cyborg''' to '''Brother Blood''', ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Cyborg demonstrated a strong heroic sprit and that was something no villain could't break.

Not to be [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant confused with]] [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight the Servants]], or [[AngelicTransformation literal]] [[TheHero Heroic]] [[OurSpiritsAreDifferent Spirits]].

* In the ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' fic [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/21659974/chapters/51651106 Izuku's Pet Noumu]], this is the nature of the titular character's hidden Quirk, Indomitable Spirit. Wankuro had AbusiveParents who wound up selling her to All For One. He had her turned into a Noumu. He spent years trying to break her spirit. [[{{Determinator}} He couldn't break her spirit, no matter what he tried.]]

Not to be [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant confused with]] [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight the Servants]], or literal [[TheHero Heroic]] [[OurSpiritsAreDifferent Spirits]].

If all this sounds implausible or [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism excessively idealistic]], remember that [[VillainousValor it's not just the good guys who can think like this]].

If all this sounds implausible or [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism excessively idealistic]], remember that it's not just the good guys who can think like this.

-->'''Colossus''': I said. '''STAY DOWN'''.
-->'''Spider-Man''': Afraid I... can’t do that.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' has [[spoiler: Spiderman recreate the page image. After [[BigBad the Vulture]] traps Peter under a pile of rubble, he briefly panics, but then he sees his reflecion in a puddle of water which reminds him of something [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] had told him earlier. After this Peter, is able to [[HeroicSecondWind psyche himself up enough to be able to push the rubble off of his back.]]]]
--->'''Spider Man''': C'mon, Peter! Come on, ''Spider-Man''!

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': Sora's heart is exceptionally strong, maybe even one of the strongest hearts in existence. Against all odds, he manages to regain his Keyblade from the AntiHero by merely reciting a quote pretty similar to the one on top of the page. He also managed to keep his free will in the form of a {{Heartless}} - something that is near impossible to do.