History Main / IconicAttributeAdoptionMoment

* ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse''. Much like the MCU these movies tend to adapt the heroes origins stories, which typically have moments like these happen.

** ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' shows Diana stealing her costume in the form of armor and the Lasso of Hestia from the Amazonian armory and completing the look by adding the tiara worn by her aunt Antiope, kept as a TragicKeepsake.

** ''Film/{{Aquaman|2018}}'' has Arthur in possession of his usual quindent from the beginning, having been left for him by his mother and used in ''Film/{{Justice|League 2017}} [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague League]]'' (given to him by Vulko in Creator/ZackSnyder's version), which is also where he dons scaled armor in place of his usual costume. Both wind up lost after Arthur loses a fight to Orm in Atlantis, the quindent broken and the armor abandoned in favor of more discreet surface attire. Arthur gains a replacement in the form of the more powerful trident used by Atlan and when returning from the battle where he claimed the trident he appears with his usual orange and green costume.
*** Black Manta appears in his typical costume to attack Arthur and Mera during their search for the trident, having built it himself and crafting the EyeBeams weaponry out of reverse engineered Atlantean weaponry.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse''. The tendency to adapt the origin stories of the heroes of the movies and shows means this happens quite a bit.

* In the 2009 reboot of ''Film/FridayThe13th2009'', Jason wears a sack over his head like he did in ''Part II'', but after killing [[spoiler: Donnie]] he abandons it for his iconic hockey mask after finding it in an attic.
* In ''Film/Halloween2007'', an adult Michael Myers wears filthy pajamas and paper-mache masks during his time in Smith's Grove. Upon escaping, he murders a trucker in the bathroom for his coveralls and boots, then heads to his childhood home to receive the kitchen knife he used in his first kills as well as his iconic white mask, which has become dirty and cracked from being disused for 17 years.
* In ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', Emperor Palpatine finally looks like [[NightmareFace his ugly self]] when he appeared in Episode 6 after Mace Windu redirects force lightening into his face. He also starts wearing his dark hooded robes after becoming emperor.

* ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020''. Sonic has a good handle on his powers but isn't a fighter because he's been in hiding for ten years so he doesn't use any of his attacks from the games. He accidentally performs his trademark Spin Attack for the first time during Robotnik's first attack on him and Tom, figuring out how to deliberately use it during the climatic battle against Robotnik.
** Sonic also doesn't have his usual red sneakers, instead wearing extremely worn down shoes that are being held together with duct tape. He receives them as a gift from Jojo, Tom's niece, to replace his old ones.

* ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly''. The Man With No Name dons his iconic poncho in the third act, solidifying that this was the prequel to the others in the trilogy.

* In Creator/TakashiMiike[='s=] ''Manga/BladeOfTheImmortal'' film, Manji spends most of the film fighting with a standard pair of [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana swords.]] In the final duel with [[BigBad Anotsu Kagehisa]], Manji runs out of blades and has to use his iconic hooked swords (The ones that killed his sister) which serve as his main WeaponOfChoice in the source material.

* In ''VideoGame/UltimateSpiderMan'', Venom doesn't have the classic large white spider insignia on his chest and back throughout the game. Until the end that is, after he consumes [[spoiler: the Carnage symbiote possessing Peter]].

* ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'' -- a remake of the original ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' -- makes its status as the start of Samus's adventures abundantly clear by bringing back the Long Beam, which lets Samus's shots travel the length of the whole screen and is combined with the standard Power Beam in every game besides ''Metroid'' and ''Zero Mission'', and waiting until the endgame to give Samus's Varia Suit its now-iconic ShouldersOfDoom, which had originally been introduced in ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus''.

* ''WebVideo/DorklyOriginals'': The ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog'' example is parodied in "If Sega Made Detective Pikachu", in which Pikachu meets a human villain resembling Mewtwo (who, for some reason, already has the tail).

'''Human!Mewtwo:''' ''(shrugs)''

* The ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' episode "Memory Blank" depicts [[SuperHeroOrigin the accident that gave Danny his powers]] and grants him his iconic ChestInsignia via TimeTravel shenanigans.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie''. The girls spend most of the movie as well meaning though destructive children owing to their young age not letting them fully grasp how destructive and dangerous their powers are. After accidentally tearing the city apart they wind up rejected by the citizens and manipulated by Mojo into helping him with a plan to TakeOverTheWorld, leading even Professor Untonium to lose faith in them and the girls going into a HeroicBSOD that takes them to an asteroid in space. They return when Mojo threatens the Professor and try to help as many people as possible without causing any undue damage. They're not able to do much against the ape army Mojo's created until Buttercup loses her temper and punches one of the mutated primates, leading Blossom to realize they can use their powers to stop the army and Mojo's plans. The ensuing battle becomes the girls' first fight and first time saving the city, and the very final moments of the film have the Narrator doing his iconic SoOnceAgainTheDayIsSaved speech which is where the girls are referred to for the first time as The Powerpuff Girls.

* In the previous [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] films, Comicbook/ScarletWitch generally wore CivieSpandex outfits rather than a garish superhero costume, and was [[ComicbookMoviesDontUseCodenames never actually called by her comic codename, with everyone just calling her Wanda instead.]] The final episode of ''Series/WandaVision'' sees her [[spoiler: adopt both the Scarlet Witch name and her iconic costume from the comics during her battle with Agatha]].

-->'''Human!Mewtwo:''' And I am your nemesis, Batholemew Twosis. But you can call me "Mewtwo".
-->'''Pikachu:''' No! You're just a guy with a Mewtwo tail, wearing Mewtwo purple!
-->'''Human!Mewtwo:''' But you can bet that some incident will occur by the end of the movie that will turn me into something more in line with what you would typically think of when you think of Mewtwo.
-->'''Pikachu:''' But why would it take 'till the end of the movie for you to turn into the version of you that we've all known for decades?!
-->'''Human!Mewtwo:''' ''(shrugs)''

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** ''Film/{{Aquaman|2018}}'' has Arthur in possession of his usual quindent from the beginning, having been left for him by his mother and used in ''Film/{{Justice|League 2017}} [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague League]]'' (given to him by Vulko in the latter), which is also where he dons scaled armor in place of his usual costume. Both wind up lost after Arthur loses a fight to Orm in Atlantis, the quindent broken and the armor abandoned in favor of more discreet surface attire. Arthur gains a replacement in the form of the more powerful trident used by Atlan and when returning from the battle where he claimed the trident he appears with his usual orange and green costume.

** ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' shows Diana stealing her usual costume in the form of armor and the Lasso of Truth from the Amazonian armory and completing the look by adding the tiara worn by her aunt Antiope, kept as a TragicKeepsake.
*** Ares creates his usual armor by telekinetically reshaping several nearby tanks.
** ''Film/Aquaman2018'' has Arthur in possession of his usual quindent from the beginning, having been left for him by his mother and used in ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'' which is also where he dons scaled armor in place of his usual costume. Both wind up lost after Arthur loses a fight to Orm in Atlantis, the quindent broken and the armor abandoned in favor of more discreet surface attire. Arthur gains a replacement in the form of the more powerful trident used by Atlan and when returning from the battle where he claimed the trident he appears with his usual orange and green costume.

* In ''Film/HalloweenII2009'', an adult Michael Myers wears filthy pajamas and paper-mache masks during his time in Smith's Grove. Upon escaping, he murders a trucker in the bathroom for his coveralls and boots, then heads to his childhood home to receive the kitchen knife he used in his first kills as well as his iconic white mask, which has become dirty and cracked from being disused for 17 years.
* In ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', Emperor Palpatine finally looks like [[NightmareFace his ugly self]] from when he appeared in Episode 6 after Mace Windu redirects force lightening into his face. He also starts wearing his dark hooded robes after becoming emperor.

* In ''VideoGame/UltimateSpiderMan'', Venom doesn't have the classic large white spider insignia on his chest and back throughout the game. Until the end that is, after he consumes [[spoiler: the Carnage symbiote possessing which is Peter]].
* In ''VideoGame/DmCDevilMayCry'', the game's version of Dante [[AdaptationalDyeJob has dark brown hair in contrast to his white hair in the original continuity]]. However, his first use of the Devil Trigger turns a small part of it white. Then at the end, [[spoiler: all of his hair turns white because of the power's usage]].

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Elphaba in ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' slowly acquires each of the pieces of her iconic outfit (pointy black hat, a flying broom, and a long billowing cape) through the course of the musical.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'' -- a remake of the original ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' -- makes its status as the start of Samus's adventures abundantly clear by waiting until the endgame to give Samus's Varia Suit its now-iconic ShouldersOfDoom, which had originally been introduced in ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus''.

Compare with CanonCharacterAllAlong where this trope is used as a way to show that a character is actually one that is already in the source material.

* The ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' episode "Memory Blank" depicts [[SuperHeroOriginStory the accident that gave Danny his powers]] and grants him his iconic ChestInsignia via TimeTravel shenanigans.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission''--a remake of the original ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}''--makes its status as the start of Samus's adventures abundantly clear by turning the ability to fire diagonally by pressing the L button (an ability Samus had from the get-go in both ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'') into a part of the Long Beam (a beam upgrade which, in a ''huge'' aversion of BagOfSpilling, is combined with the standard Power Beam in every game besides ''Metroid'' and ''Zero Mission'').

[[folder: Film-Live Action]]

[[folder: Film-Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm''. Flashbacks in the film show Bruce starting as a vigilante but not having become Batman yet. He's able to foil a heist but notes that his methods are still missing something and ponders over how to make his crimefighting more effective. During this time he meets and falls in love with Andrea Beaumont, whose presence in his life leads him to consider giving up on his vigilante aspirations. When she leaves Gotham and ends things with him he fully commits to his crusade against crime. In the newly created Batcave Bruce dons his cowl for the first time and Alfred's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness shocked response]] makes it clear that Batman has risen.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie''. The girls spend most of the movie as well meaning though destructive children owing to their young age not letting them fully grasp how destructive and dangerous their powers are. After accidentally tearing the city apart they wind up rejected by the citizens and manipulated by Mojo into helping him with a plan to TakeOverTheWorld, leading even Professor Untonium to lose faith in them and the girls going into a HeroicBSOD that takes them to an asteroid in space. They return when Mojo threatens the Professor and try to help as many people as possible without causing any undue damage. They're not able to do much against the ape army Mojo's created until Buttercup loses her temper and punches one of the mutated primates, leading Blossom to realize they can use their powers to stop the army and Mojo's plans. The ensuing battle becomes the girls' first fight and first time saving the city, and the very final moments of the film have the Narrator doing his iconic SoOnceAgainTheDayIsSaved speech which is where the girls are referred to for the first time as The Powerpuff Girls.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse''. For most of the movie Miles struggles to both [[HowDoIShotWeb get a handle on his powers]] and stand as a version of Spider-Man in his own right, largely held back by his own insecurities. After his uncle is killed by Kingpin and Peter B, who has been the closest thing to a mentor he's had, reveals he's planning a HeroicSacrifice to stop Fisk's plans Miles is finally able to master his powers. He goes to the Spider-Cave of his dimension's Spider-Man, spray paints one of the costumes on hand to be his look from the comics and takes the "leap of faith" that defines one as a Spider-Hero, going webswinging through the city so he can join the FinalBattle to stop Fisk.
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[[folder: Theatre]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Web Original]]

* ''Film/SpiderMan'': Initially, Peter wears the same Spider-Man outfit a

* ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'' sees Batman initially strike out crime-fighting disguised as a common thug, and doesn't assume his cape and cowl until after his first outing goes ''horribly'' wrong.

** In ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', prior to being recruited by Tony Stark, Spider-Man wore a crude costume consisting of a hoodie and sweatpants, modified welding goggles, and prototype web-shooters. He later gets a new comicbook-style suit in the lines of what we saw in the Ramni Trilogy and the Webb duology.

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]
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* In ''Back to the Future: The Game", one such moment is when young Doc Brown has an experiment explode and it transforms his hair into the Eisteinian wig that we all know and love. This also marks the point that he fully dedicates his life to science instead of the life that his father wants for him.

* In ''Film/Halloween2007'', an adult Michael Myers wears filthy pajamas and paper-mache masks during his time in Smith's Grove. Upon escaping, he murders a trucker in the bathroom for his coveralls and boots, then heads to his childhood home to receive the kitchen knife he used in his first kills as well as his iconic white mask, which has become dirty and cracked from being disused for 17 years.

* In ''Halloween2009'', an adult Michael Myers wears filthy pajamas and paper-mache masks during his time in Smith's Grove. Upon escaping, he murders a trucker in the bathroom for his coveralls and boots, then heads to his childhood home to receive the kitchen knife he used in his first kills as well as his iconic white mask, which has become dirty and cracked from being disused for 17 years.

-->'''Pikachu:''' But why would it take 'till the end of the movie for you to turn into he version of you that we've all known for decades?!

* Elphaba in ''Theatre/Wicked'' slowly acquires each of the pieces of her iconic outfit (pointy black hat, a flying broom, and a long billowing cape) through the course of the musical.

* Elphaba in Wicked slowly acquires each of the pieces of her iconic outfit (pointy black hat, a flying broom, and a long billowing cape) through the course of the musical.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse''. For most of the movie Miles struggles to both [[HowDoIShotWeb get a handle on his powers]] and stand as a version of Spider-Man in his own right, largely held back by his own insecurities. After his uncle is killed by Kingpin and Peter B, who has been the closest thing to a mentor he's had, reveals he's planning a HeroicSacrifice to stop Fisk's plans Miles is finally able to master his powers. He goes to the Spider-Cave of his dimenson's Spider-Man, spray paints one of the costumes on hand to be his look from the comics and takes the "leap of faith" that defines one as a Spider-Hero, going webswinging through the city so he can join the FinalBattle to stop Fisk.

* In [[VideoGame/DmCDevilMayCry]], the game's version of Dante [[AdaptationalDyeJob has dark brown hair in contrast to his white hair in the original continuity]]. However, his first use of the Devil Trigger turns a small part of it white. Then at the end, [[spoiler: all of his hair turns white because of the power's usage]].