History Main / HeroicWannabe

* [[AdamWesting Catman]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents''.

* Princess Morebucks from ''WesternAnimaton/ThePowerpuffGirls'' dreams of becoming a Powerpuff Girl, but her brattiness, ineptitude, and sheer poor disposition make her a terrible hero, to say the least.

* Jason Stackhouse from ''Series/TrueBlood''. He's constantly striving to find some way to become a hero, but he tries to find short-cuts too often to be more than a wannabe.

* On ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark,'' the members of Coon and Friends manage to do some good deeds in their superhero identities, but are no match for Cthulu, with the exception of actual superheroes Mysterion/[[spoiler:Kenny]] and [[spoiler:Mint-Berry Crunch/Bradley]]. [[TokenEvilTeammate The Coon/Cartman]] is a darker example: self-aggrandizing at best, his attempts at "heroics" easily dissolve into wanton acts of evil because, as Mysterion puts it, he can't tell the difference between "good" and "good ''for him.''" Especially considering that, up until [[spoiler:Cthulu shows up]], The Coon's "heroic" acts consist almost entirely of ruining ''other'' superheroes so that he'll be the only one around.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': Laurel wants to be a badass vigilante like her sister Sara, ex-boyfriend Oliver and his Team Arrow companions, but lacks the skills - and often the logical thinking - to manage it. Her Season 3 arc is her trying to hit the streets and save people to "let out the anger inside of her" only to get beaten up or saved by others. Oliver and Team Arrow aren't shy about telling her to back off, especially as they keep having to bail her out of trouble when they have other issues to deal with.

* America from ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' is this. However, before WWII, he doesn't sport this attitude.

* In ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', the Mega Crew are this, doubling as a shout out to ''Film/TheDarkKnight'''s Batman wannabes.

A specific form of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism and the WideEyedIdealist. A Heroic Wannabe is a person so intent on the idea of becoming a hero that they're willing to do just about anything, and they tend not to think about what being a "hero" really means or what you have to do to become one. Darker cases may suffer from BlackAndWhiteInsanity, or more seriously from being a HeroismAddict.

Very prone to becoming a TragicHero and often have a SpiritAdvisor or CoolOldGuy as an advisor [[IrritationIsTheSincerestFormOfFlattery trying to warn them]] of the reality -- not that the Heroic Wannabe will ever stop long enough to think about what they've been told. Is about equally played straight (usually as buildup to something bad or a BreakTheCutie moment) or the character is used as PluckyComicRelief in an otherwise serious show. Also, inevitably, prone to the PretenderDiss, from just about everyone else involved in the work in question. In stories involving themes about being ATrueHero, this character may get chastised for their self-centered motives.

* ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'':

* In ''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'', [[BigBrotherBully Nuka]] is hopelessly envious of Kovu's exalted position and takes every opportunity he can to remind people of this. His issues stem from [[FreudianExcuse maternal neglect]] and the lack of respect everyone else shows him. [[{{Jerkass}} The latter is completely justified.]]

* The heroine Wannabe from Todd Nuack's ''Wildguard'' had no powers (but wasn't about to tell anybody) and was desperate to be a real superhero.

* ''Manga/FrankenFran'' has an extremely disturbing example, [[UpToEleven even by this series' standards]]. One of the Sentinels literally gets a high from pursuing vengeance, so whenever he gets in a fight [[HeroismAddict he arranges for the maximum amount of collateral damage]]. Then he swears to the dead that he will avenge them, and starts off anew.

* Overdrive in ''Comicbook/SuperiorFoesOfSpiderMan'' is an odd example. He's not just not a hero, he's a fully-fledged villain, albeit one who tends to fanboy over superheroes in the middle of fights. But he's a villain who hasn't given up on his original plan to be a superhero, and points out the HeelFaceTurn path to Comicbook/TheAvengers worked for people like Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}}, Comicbook/{{Quicksilver}}, and the Comicbook/ScarletWitch.

* Surprisingly one of the chapters in ''Fanfic/ParenthesesAntiFluffDrabble'' has Ben percieving himself as one.

* In ''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'', [[BigBrotherBully Nuka]] is hopelessly envious of Kovu's exalted position, and takes every opportunity he can to remind people of this. His issues stem from [[FreudianExcuse maternal neglect]] and the lack of respect everyone else shows him. [[{{Jerkass}} The latter is completely justified.]]

* The main character (and arguably his sidekick, Boltie) of ''Film/{{Super}}'' is this. He dons the identity of Crimson Bolt to take revenge on the criminal who stole his wife, and cope with the emotional trauma that it caused. His crime-fighting intentions are genuine, but he is by no means a traditional heroic figure.

* [[KidHero Taran]] of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' starts out as this status, but over the course of the books CharacterDevelopment takes hold. And by the time he becomes a real hero he no longer believes in them.

* Boone from ''Series/{{Lost}}'' is a particularly sad example. From his first scene in the pilot (giving CPR to Rose), he's constantly trying to be a hero....and failing miserably. [[spoiler: he does the CPR all wrong and Jack has to save Rose. He fails to save Joanna from drowning, almost drowns himself, and has to be rescued by Jack. He stands guard but falls asleep, allowing Ethan to kill Scott. Taken to the most tragic extreme, he climbs into the beechcraft in an attempt to radio the outside world, only for the plane to plummet off of a cliff, during which he sustains fatal injuries and eventually dies.]]
* Flynn from ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' in his childhood was a lover of comic books and wanted to help people. He went a little overboard - failing at being a cop (he tried to arrest the mayor's son), a fireman (caused water damage trying to save an old lady's goldfish) and in the Peace Corp (led a rebellion with the indigenous people). Unlike most examples, he actually gets to become a hero.
* Jason Stackhouse from ''Series/TrueBlood''. He's constantly striving find some way to become a hero, but he tries to find short-cuts too often to be more than a wannabe.

* A big theme in ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'' where [[FolkHero Sephiroth]] inspired desire to be heroes in Zack, Cloud and [[spoiler: Genesis]]. Most the game centers around their bumpy road towards achieving this.

* At one point in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', you must navigate the Cave of the Incarnate, a haunted locale filled with the lingering spirits of people [[TheChosenWannabe who tried to fulfill the Nerevar prophecy before you came along and died in the process]]. The game is [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane deliberately ambiguous]] on whether your character really is TheChosenOne, or just another Heroic Wannabe who was luckier than the previous ones.

* Shingo Yabuki from ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' series idolizes Kyo Kusanagi, to the point of mimicking his moves and speech. He's training to be as good as Kyo, and is convince that he, too, can "shoot fire."

* Conrad Verner from ''Franchise/MassEffect''. He's Commander Shepard's [[LoonyFan number 1 fanboy]], but hasn't got the brains to recognize that he's not anywhere near skilled enough to follow his/her example and become a Spectre. It's up to the Commander to keep him from getting himself killed. [[VideogameCrueltyPotential Or not]].

* [[http://www.errantstory.com/2003-03-03/66 Chris]] in ''Webcomic/ErrantStory''. Unfortunately for him, in this webcomic you actually have to be seriously dangerous to be a main character.

* Booster Gold from ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' is a thrill-seeker from the 25th century who traveled back to our time to become [[NominalHero a hero for fame and fortune]], and because of this he is only trusted with the absolute lowest-profile jobs like crowd control. Ironically he ends up saving the day, [[TheGreatestStoryNeverTold unbeknownst to anyone else in the league]] (as they were busy fighting Mordru), when he saves a scientist who had been left with a black hole in his chest after a bungled experiment. He doesn't get any fame or glory, in fact he gets outright chewed out by Batman for abandoning his crowd control post, but at least [[LoveInterests Dr. Tracy Simmons knew of his heroism and invited him out to dinner]].

** Malicia from ''Discworld/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents'' is a bit too GenreSavvy for her own good, and tries to cast herself as the [[AmateurSleuth Feisty Young Amateur Investigator]] who Saves The Day and Keith the piper as the comedy relief, when it's Maurice and the rats who are the real stars of the book.
** And much earlier in the series, the cast of ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'' included Nijel the self-proclaimed Barbarian Hero: a grocer's scrawny kid who was learning the art of "heroing" from a mail-order pamphlet, ''Inne Juste 7 Dayes I wille make You a Barbearian Hero!''.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2006'': The "hero" Maxi Man has super strength, but he's only qualified to sign signatures and has no training or know how when it comes to helping others or even defending himself. As he's no tougher than an ordinary human he ends up knocked out by a bit of debris while yelling at the agents assigned to protect him about how he is not useless and they are the ones who save the day when the roller coaster behind him starts coming down.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* [[TheCape Sayaka Miki]] in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', once she becomes a magical girl (even dressed in a costume [[InvokedTrope with]] a [[SuperheroesWearCapes cape]]) sees herself as a hero, saving Mitakihara from [[EldritchAbomination witches]] and their [[{{Mooks}} familiars]]. [[spoiler:Until it goes horribly downward with her once she realizes [[OurLichesAreDifferent what she really is]] and what transpired from her [[SecretlySelfish not-so-selfless]] [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor wish]], confesses she's been stupid as she is [[DespairEventHorizon driven to despair]], and ultimately becomes [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie a witch]].]]
* Utena Tenjou from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' desires to become the saintly Prince who saved her as a child, and most of the series deals with deconstructing, subverting, and arguably playing straight this concept as Utena is essentially sent through Hell and back, and that's before we find out that her memories of her encounter with the Prince are anything but fully accurate. [[spoiler:Especially since the prince in question, Akio Ohtori, is the BigBad and a manipulative domestic abuser.]]
* Leopold Scorpse from ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'' follows the heroine out of equal parts sense of chivalry and growing feelings for her.
* Katsushiro from ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'' -- the character notes even say that he was supposed to look like his equipment had never been in a real fight before. Kikuchiyo from the same series is similar, though more in a PluckyComicRelief sense.
* America from ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' is this. However, before WWII, he doesn't sport this attitude.
* ''Manga/MagicalCircleGuruGuru'' gives us two examples. First is main character Nike's father, who dreamed of being a Hero but was forced to give it up due to there being no evil to be Heroic at. He therefore raises Nike to become a Hero and, when evil does return, sends him out to battle it. The second example is Gale, who appears nearly OnceAnEpisode, faces the current crisis claiming himself the 'True Hero,' [[TheChewToy only to get beaten down and/or humiliated immediately after.]]
* Interestingly, it's strongly implied that [[DarkMessiah Lelouch Lamperouge]] of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' is this, as indicated by several in- and out-of-universe factors. For example, he's a fan of {{Tokusatsu}} and WordOfGod says that his voice actors[[note]]Creator/JunFukuyama, who is practically typecast as TheHero, and Creator/JohnnyYongBosch, best known for being a [[Franchise/PowerRangers Power Ranger]][[/note]] were chosen in order to show that Lelouch is trying very hard to be something that he's not.

* Suppaman from ''Manga/DoctorSlump''. Despite claiming that he is the "Champion of Justice", he is a petty {{Jerkass}} that's more than willing to get revenge on people that supposedly wronged him.

* Similarly, the heroine Wannabe from Todd Nuack's ''Wildguard'' had no powers (but wasn't about to tell anybody) and was desperate to be a real superhero.
* In ''ComicBook/AllFallDown'', several spring up after The Fall to fill the void of the ex-superheroes. [[spoiler: They are permanently discouraged by The Ghoul.]]

* ''ComicBook/KickAss'' spawns a costumed superhero craze, so no wonder people start dressing up like him. The fact that he is a superhero wannabe himself adds to the [[HilarityEnsues hilarity]].

[[folder: Fan Fic]]

-->'''Nuka:''' I should have been TheChosenOne. (...) I could be a leader if she'd just give me a chance!
-->'''Vitani:''' ''(snorts)'' Yeah, right.

* ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' opens with a group of Batman-wannabes trying to bust a mob deal, but get in over their heads within a few moments. The real Batman rescues and chastises them for trying to do Batman's job ''without'' Batman's training, experience, or equipment. [[spoiler:In a TooDumbToLive fashion, one of them is later captured and killed by the Joker.]]
* The main character (and arguably his sidekick, Boltie) of ''Film/{{Super}}'' is this. He dons the identity of Crimson Bolt to take revenge on the criminal who stole his wife, and cope with the emotional trauma that it caused. His crime-fighting intentions are genuine, but he is by no means a traditional heroic figure.

* Malicia from the young adult ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' book ''Discworld/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents'' is a bit too GenreSavvy for her own good, and tries to cast herself as the [[AmateurSleuth Feisty Young Amateur Investigator]] who Saves The Day and Keith the piper as the comedy relief, when it's Maurice and the rats who are the real stars of the book.
** And much earlier in the series, the cast of ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'' included Nijel the self-proclaimed Barbarian Hero: a grocer's scrawny kid who was learning the art of "heroing" from a mail-order pamphlet, ''Inne Juste 7 Dayes I wille make You a Barbearian Hero!''.

* [[KidHero Taran]] of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' starts out as this status, but over the course of the books CharacterDevelopment takes hold.
** And by the time he becomes a real hero he no longer believes in them.

* In ''Literature/{{Dragonsbane}}'' by Creator/BarbaraHambly, shiny-eyed Gareth loved heroic ballads and dreamed of great deeds... but he met his hero and other participants of the feat.
-->"Poison?" Such foulness clearly pierced him to the heart. "Harpoons? Not a sword at all?"\\
Jenny shook her head, not knowing whether to feel amusement at the boy's disappointed expression, exasperation at the way he spoke of what had been for her and hundreds of others a time of sleepless, nightmare horror, or only a kind of elder-sisterly compassion for the naivete that would consider taking a three-foot steel blade against twenty-five feet of spiked and flaming death.

* [=DeGuiche=] in Cyrano [=DeBergerac=], a cowardly, selfish, petty man who wishes to be just like his comrade Cyrano.
* The title character from Creator/JosephConrad's ''Lord Jim''. Unfortunately, the universe he lives in is not nearly as idealistic, and it is in part due to his own character that he ends up a [[spoiler: PosthumousCharacter]].
* Par Ohmsford from ''Literature/TheHeritageOfShannara'' desperately wants to be a hero, and is thrilled when he's given the chance to become one. However, unlike his cousin Wren, who is a capable ActionGirl, or his uncle Walker, who has significant magic at his disposal and has lived alone in the wild for years, Par has never been anything other than a storyteller. Even his MasterOfIllusion powers don't help him much at first, he requires far more assistance than he thinks he does, and even after he gains RealityWarper abilities, he's captured and has to be rescued.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': Laurel wants to be a badass vigilante like her sister Sara, ex-boyfriend Oliver and his Team Arrow companions, but lacks the skills - and often the logical thinking - to manage it. Her Season 3 arc is her trying to hit the streets and save people to "let out the anger inside of her" only to get beaten up or saved by others. Oliver and Team Arrow aren't shy about telling her to back off, especially as they keep having to bail her out of trouble when they have other issues to deal with.
* Jason Stackhouse from ''Series/TrueBlood''. He's constantly striving find some way to become a hero, but he tries to find short-cuts too often to be more than a wannabe.

* Joxer from ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'', who ends up making a HeroicSacrifice to save Gabrielle.

* When Tim Kring was showing his wife the character ideas for his new show ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', she noticed that none of the Heroes enjoyed having their powers and that it was somewhat depressing. Thus, Hiro (get it?) Nakamura was born -- as the personification of this trope.

* An intern on Series/{{Grimm}} is eventually outed as a hero-worshipper of the main character, Nick. He pretends to be a Grimm himself, believing that all Wesen must die and murdering two Wesen before Nick captures him. He is revealed to be a [[BoomerangBigot Wesen himself]].

* ''Series/JessicaJones2015'' season 2 sees Trish Walker living vicariously through Jessica's superheroics, to the point that she begins to desire having powers of her own, undercuts Jessica's own investigation into IGH, kidnaps Dr. Karl Malus at gunpoint and makes him perform a risky surgery on her.

* Wrestling/AlbertoDelRio's gimmick after [[FaceHeelTurn turning heel]] in the process of defeating Wrestling/DolphZiggler. He thinks of himself as a hero to the Latino people, but as Ricardo Rodriguez points out, Del Rio doesn't do much that is actually heroic. He was also matched up against Wrestling/RobVanDam, who was a baby {{face}} variety(unless you consider {{jobb|er}}ing heroism).[[/folder]]

* Groose from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' thinks he's TheChosenOne, mostly trying to be a hero for the StandardHeroReward and the glory that such a thing entails. When Groose learns that he's not the Hero of Legend, he doesn't react well at first. But, thanks to some character development, he decides that he'll help Link become the hero that will save the world instead. Thus, Groose ends up [[SweetAndSourGrapes becoming heroic only when he decided he didn't need to be a hero]].
* ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'' has Linkle, a more idealistic example. A cuccoo farmer who believes herself to be the reincarnation of the legendary hero thanks to her grandmother saying so and giving her a mysterious compass. When she hears Hyrule Castle has been attacked, she takes this as a personal CallToAdventure and races off to go be a hero. The trope gets played with in that while her NoSenseOfDirection means she never catches up with the main conflict and her lack of common sense worries everyone she encounters, she learns to take care of herself and actually helps clean up a few of the A-plot's messes when the main party had bigger fish to fry. [[TheUnchosenOne She'll never be the legend she thinks she is]], but she's heroic all the same.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 2}}: Innocent Sin'', there's a young girl who's convinced that she's the reincarnation of the Mayan warrior Ixquic and ends up being used by the bad guys as she tries to be a great heroine. It eventually leads to her being trapped in a burning building. Poor thing. Thankfully, she survives the experience and pulls herself back to reality again, deciding to become a manga artist instead.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'', most of Junpei Iori's motivation to help SEES is based on his desire to be a genuine hero. This desire causes him to [[IdiotHero rush into dire situations without any forethought]], become intensely jealous of the Main Character for his role as TheCaptain of the group, and even reveal his SecretIdentity to a girl to gain recognition (a move that later backfires horribly). [[CharacterDevelopment He eventually grows out of it, though]], and by the time of "[[PlayableEpilogue The Answer]]", he is arguably the most level-headed member of the party.
* Duran from ''VideoGame/AvalonCode'' desperately wants to be a hero, but his cowardice prevents him from doing much of anything, leaving it up to [[TheHero Yumil (or Tia)]] to use the Book of Prophecy to inspire him.
* Almaz in-game title in ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 3|AbsenceOfJustice}}'' is "Wannabe Hero" which pretty much says it all. Then Mao breaks the Fourth Wall to steal his title. Almaz is a downplayed example as he lacks the skill of a true hero ([[GenreBlind he decided to try to defeat the Overlord at level 5]]), but not the heart. [[spoiler:His interactions with Mao ends up changing both of them for the better, and in the normal ending this ends up derailing the BigBad's plans [[SubvertedTrope and elevates Almaz to the title of true hero]].]]
* Conrad Verner from ''Franchise/MassEffect''. He's Commander Shepard's [[LoonyFan number 1 fanboy]], but hasn't got the brains to recognize that he's not anywhere near skilled enough to follow his/her example and become a Spectre. It's up to the Commander to keep him from getting himself killed. [[VideogameCrueltyPotential Or not]].
* Creator/BioWare did it again with poor foolish King Cailan of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', who walks straight into a trap set by his TreacherousAdvisor Loghain at Ostagar due to his desire to be a hero like in the legends he loves and dies when Loghain turns his back on him and leaves him and every Grey Warden with him to die at the hands of the Darkspawn.

* Emiya Shirou from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' wants to be a "Hero of Justice", following in his foster father's footsteps. Pretty much everyone around him tries to warn him of just what a bad idea this is, but it becomes the most pronounced with [[BelligerentSexualTension Rin]] and [[SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids Archer]] in the Unlimited Blade Works route. [[spoiler:In Archer's timeline, he took every opportunity he found to act as a hero, sacrificing everything else for the sake of others. His obsession led to him being ostracized and eventually killed as a scapegoat. Even when he [[DyingAlone died alone]] he didn't regret following his dream, but his existence as a Counter-Guardian changed that]].
* [[PlayerCharacter Capt. Martin Walker]] in ''Videogame/SpecOpsTheLine''. Throughout the game, he tries to do what is right - [[NiceJobBreakingItHero without fully considering the consequences]]. After [[spoiler:he uses [[KillItWithFire white]] [[BodyHorror phosphorus]] on a civilian camp, he [[NeverMyFault refuses to acknowledge that it was his fault]]. And it [[SanitySlippage breaks him]].]]
** The game draws comparisons between Walker and the player themselves at several points, and this is probably the most obvious and explicit of them. ''The Line'' disguises itself as a standard modern military shooter to begin with, [[WrongGenreSavvy so the player assumes that they can sort everything out by just pressing forward, as does Walker]]. But when the game reveals its [[{{Deconstruction}} true nature]], it calls out the player for wanting to be a hero and treating war as a power fantasy through showing just [[FromBadToWorse how much worse things get]] due to Walker's actions.
* At the start of ''VideoGame/DhuxsScar'', a man named Dario assaults the titular character, a cursed angel that's just vaporized a woman and her son. He gets his hands blown off and his head pulped for his troubles.
* Handsome Jack, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'', is utterly convinced he's the hero who's going to use the power of the Vault to conquer and tame Pandora. Unfortunately, he's also convinced that [[MoralMyopia he's justified in doing all sorts of horrible things]] to his employees (who are [[WeHaveReserves expendable]]), the people of Pandora (who are all "bandit scum" in his eyes), and anyone who gets in his way (like the Vault Hunters and the Crimson Raiders).
* Illidan Stormrage from ''Franchise/{{Warcraft}}'' grew up being told he had a great destiny because he was born with rare golden eyes. Being told that all his life fed his ego and much of his personality revolves around how he has to be the one to save the day and get the girl, though he grows to resent [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter his twin brother Malfurion]] for being the one to ''actually'' do that in the War of the Ancients. Eventually he became a WellIntentionedExtremist and UnscrupulousHero branded as a villain by those around him. Best summed up in a quote of his in ''World of Warcraft's'' Well of Eternity dungeon:
--> '''Illidan''': I will be the ''savior'' of our ''people''! I WILL FULFILL MY ''DESTINY''!
* Khamsin from ''VideoGame/MetalGearRising'' is the only member of the [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Winds of Destruction]] to have actually heroic intentions (liberating Abkhazia), and actually could be a hero if he could only work on his [[NoSocialSkills complete lack of social skills]] and [[DumbMuscle get a brain in his skull]]. He's a lot like a [[Film/StreetFighter certain depiction of Zangief]] in that he works for the "Winds of '''Destruction'''" and doesn't realize he's working for the bad guys.
* Copy X from ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' is utterly convinced that he is the heroic savior of humanity and that the Resistance is filled with Maverick Reploids trying to ruin that. While his actions have resulted in humanity's comfort in the current energy crisis in the CrapsackWorld, it's come at the cost of him branding innocent Reploids for being Maverick on flimsy excuses and "retiring" them by the hundreds to conserve energy. It never seems to occur to him that trying to research new energy sources instead of genociding sentient beings would be a much more heroic thing to do, and those who try to call him out get branded as Mavericks too. [[SarcasmMode Because how could a "perfect" copy of the great X ''ever'' be wrong, you ask]]?
* At one point in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', you must navigate the Cave of the Incarnate, a haunted locale filled with the lingering spirits of people [[TheChosenWannabe who tried to fulfill the Nerevar prophecy before you came along and died in the process]]. The game is [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane deliberately ambiguous]] on whether your character really is TheChosenOne, or just another Heroic Wannabe who was luckier than the previous ones.
* Nok-Nok the Goblin Hero from ''VideoGame/PathfinderKingmaker'', a comedic example. He knows his goddess has made him TheChosenOne who will become a great goblin hero, but being a goblin he has no clue as to ''how'' we will become one. As such he latches himself onto the PlayerCharacter in the assumption you're there to guide him to his heroic destiny, which the player character can either encourage or refocus onto his near-supernatural ability to make everyone around him laugh with his hero-wannabe antics.

* Dave Strider of ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'' exhibits some Heroic Wannabe traits-- he's expressed a fixation on becoming a "hero" and seems to be willing to sacrifice anything to save his friends. [[spoiler:Except the former isn't true-- Dave's childhood TrainingFromHell inflicted by his older brother ruined the concept of heroism for him. Dave doesn't want to fight, get hurt, see blood, or hear metal noises, but the narrative keeps forcing him to adopt a "reluctant hero" role.]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

--> '''Krall''': I may have failed you as a hero, but I will triumph as your conqueror!
* Moomintroll of ''WesternAnimation/TheMoomins''. He tries to be the hero so very, very hard.
* Billy Billions of WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse decides to create his own hero team in order to compete with Ben. It barely lasts more than a week before the teammates tear each other apart.
* [[AdamWesting Catman]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents''.
* On ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark,'' the members of Coon and Friends manage to do some good deeds in their superhero identities, but are no match for Cthulu, with the exception of actual superheroes Mysterion/[[spoiler:Kenny]] and [[spoiler:Mint-Berry Crunch/Bradley]]. [[TokenEvilTeammate The Coon/Cartman]] is a darker example: self-aggrandizing at best, his attempts at "heroics" easily dissolve into wanton acts of evil because, as Mysterion puts it, he can't tell the difference between "good" and "good ''for him.''"
** Especially considering that, up until [[spoiler:Cthulu shows up]], The Coon's "heroic" acts consist almost entirely of ruining ''other'' superheroes so that he'll be the only one around.
* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'': The opening of the episode "There's A Penfold In My Suit" has Penfold putting on one of DM's jumpsuits under the delusion it will make him as heroic as DM.

Very prone to becoming a TragicHero and often have a SpiritAdvisor or CoolOldGuy as an advisor [[IrritationIsTheSincerestFormOfFlattery trying to warn them]] of the reality -- not that the Heroic Wannabe will ever stop long enough to think about what they've been told. Is about equally played straight (usually as buildup to something bad or a BreakTheCutie moment) or the character is used as PluckyComicRelief in an otherwise serious show. Also, inevitably, prone to the PretenderDiss, from just about everyone else involved in the work in question.

Compare TheChosenWannabe, NeverBeAHero.

Very prone to becoming a TragicHero and often have a SpiritAdvisor or CoolOldGuy as an advisor [[IrritationIsTheSincerestFormOfFlattery trying to warn them]] of the reality -- not that the Heroic Wannabe will ever stop long enough to think about what they've been told. Is about equally played straight (usually as buildup to something bad or a BreakTheCutie moment) or the character is used as PluckyComicRelief in an otherwise serious show. Also, inevitably, prone to the WannabeDiss, from just about everyone else involved in the work in question.

* Interestingly, it's strongly implied that [[DarkMessiah Lelouch Lamperouge]] of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' is this, as indicated by several in- and out-of-universe factors. For example, he's a fan of {{Tokusatsu}} and WordOfGod says that his voice actors[[note]]Creator/JunFukuyama, who is practically typecast as TheHero, and Creator/JohnnyYongBosch, best known for being a [[PowerRangers Power Ranger]][[/note]] were chosen in order to show that Lelouch is trying very hard to be something that he's not.

* In ''[[http://dungeonsanddenizens.com/d/20061120.html Dungeons and Denizens]]'', we have Sir Percival von Fluffypants. To him, the "hard parts" of heroism involve posing and having perfect hair. He uses his guards to do any fighting (not that it makes any difference, as his parents bribed the monsters ahead of time to go easy on him). He meets his well-deserved end [[spoiler:when he trashes the room of a pre-adolescent GothicLolita - who happens to be a powerful necromancer with a cruel streak. Percy ends up being sent home in small disposable baggies.]]