History Main / NotSoInvincibleAfterAll

* ''Series/{{Forever|2014}}'': Adam is the ImplacableMan to Henry, but has a theory that the weapon which killed an immortal the first time may be able to kill them permanently. He deliberately tells Henry that in his case this is a Roman ''pugio'' dagger. In the final episode, this theory is tested [[spoiler: when Adam shoots Henry with the flintlock pistol that killed him 200 years ago after Henry refuses to try to kill Adam with the ''pugio''. Before Henry dies, he manages to inject an air embolism into Adam's brainstem, inducing Locked-In Syndrome, rendering Adam completely unable to move but still fully conscious. Henry dies and comes back as usual, but Adam is neutralized.]]

* [[BigBad Tai Lung]] of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' runs rampant over the heroes for a solid nine-tenths of the first film. The guards of the prison he was in after he broke free? They were definitely competent and skilled, just not enough of either. The Furious Five, as a team? Did manage to beat him in a straight fight, then he broke out the PressurePoint attack. His former teacher/adopted father, Master Shifu? A CurbStompBattle combined with a massive case of Tai Lung CallingTheOldManOut. And then, he meets [[StoneWall Po]]. Things went downhill for him after that.

'''This is a DeathTrope, so beware of spoilers.'''

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* "Literature/TheHungerGames": Despite Katniss hyping them up as a [[Tykebomb squad of unstoppable killing machines raised to fight from birth]], who compound their existing individual advantages by teaming up and wiping out their hapless competition (much to Katniss's initial despair and disdain), the first Career Tribute (the boy from District 4) to fall ends up KilledOffscreen on the first day, to Katniss's surprise. It soon becomes apparent than while powerful, they are also quite vulnerable to the arena and most are no match for her quick wits, various skills, and luck as the situation calls for it.

* "Literature/TheHungerGames": Despite Katniss hyping them up as a squad of unstoppable killing machine TykeBombs, who compound their existing individual advantages by teaming up and wiping out their hapless competition (much to Katniss's initial despair and disdain), the first Career Tribute (the boy from District 4) to fall ends up DyingOffscreen on the first day, to Katniss's surprise. It soon becomes apparent than while powerful, they are also quite vulnerable to the arena and most are no match for her quick wits, various skills, and luck as the situation calls for it.

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel Hazbin Hotel]]'', Alastor is an Overlord of Hell and the most powerful of Charlie's allies, spending much of the series in smug superiority over the residents and only being decisively outclassed by Charlie's father, who is literally {{The Devil}}. When he fights [[spoiler: Adam, his overconfidence nets him a broken cane and nearly-fatal injuries, forcing him to retreat for the first time shown and sending him into an uncharactaristic spiral of panic]]. For the audience, this is the first time that he is shown to be genuinely panicked and not in control of his situation, though he bounces back pretty quick.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': The key to defeating Adam Taurus was actually Blake realizing this. As soon as she realized that he wasn't some unstoppable beast that she had no choice but to run from and decided to stand up to him, Adam had been effectively crippled. While he was still a MasterSwordsman, the lion's share of Adam's power lay in intimidation, dragging other people down, [[AmbushingEnemy and ambushing his enemies]], making himself seem much more invincible than he really was: once confronted in outright combat, Blake and Yang were able to find holes in his defenses, create counters for his Semblance, and finally defeat him once and for all.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons'' episode "The Test Pilot", George, [[ItsALongStory under the impression he was going to die]], volunteers to field-test a life jacket MadeOfIndestructium for Mr. Spacely. After a whole episode of being put through all kinds of comedic overkill, including being directly hit with two ''intercontinental ballistic missiles'', the jacket was deemed totally indestructible and received the Good Spacekeeping Seal of Approval. Just before the celebratory banquet, however, Jane mentions that it looked soiled so she put it in the washing machine, where it apparently fell apart due to being dry-clean only. Cue Spacely crying as he sees his dreams of wealth gone up in smoke and his company out of business and George rushing off to Cogswell Cogs to get a new job.
* In many episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'', the Wuts regularly beat the Urpneys effortlessly through the use of their powerful magic or SkySurfing leaves, and one occasion even handed ''Zordrak'' a humiliating CurbstompBattle. In "The Spidermobile" however, Urpgor finally creates a mech capable of deflecting the Wuts magic, leading them and the other heroes to suffer a slapstick defeat at the hands of the Urpneys ''twice over''.
* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': While [[Characters/RickAndMortyEvilMorty Evil Morty]] does decisively beat Rick Prime, [[IndyPloy he does so by the seat of his pants]], [[CurbstompCushion getting blindsided and nearly killed by him several times]], and ultimately only getting the better of him due to a last second TwinSwitch with Morty, knowing Rick Prime would be arrogant enough to let his guard down against an ordinary Morty. It stands out compared to every previous opponent whom Evil Morty was next to a step ahead of, showcasing just how dangerous Rick Prime is and how Evil Morty's best asset is preparation.