History Main / OurAncestorsAreSuperheroes

-->'''[[TheSimpsons Grandpa Simpson]]'''

** And there is, apparently, an entire advanced civilization living in sprawling cities deep underground. The [[{{Myst}} D'ni]], perhaps.

* ''{{Sanctuary}}'' pegs UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla as a vampire with electric, and later magnetic, powers, [[SherlockHolmes Doctor Watson]] as a super-human genius, and JackTheRipper as a teleporting bloodthirsty maniac.

* The ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode ''TheFinalSacrifice'' has the ancient Xiox civilization, which the cultists are descended from (and which Rowsdower is only a halfbreed descendant of.) Before being cursed by their gods, the Xiox had the power to make floating cities and, if [[BigBad Sartorus]] is any indication, at least some of them had psychic powers as well.

* ''{{Wanted}}'': Wesley is unknowingly descended from a secret society of assassins dating back centuries with innate superhuman powers. An example of type 2 above.

* ''{{Sanctuary}}'' pegs NikolaTesla as a vampire with electric, and later magnetic, powers, [[SherlockHolmes Doctor Watson]] as a super-human genius, and JackTheRipper as a teleporting bloodthirsty maniac.

* ''StargateAtlantis'' not only has AncientAstronauts, but they also sport non-technological superpowers, like telepathy.

# Some people beyond our time had superpowers and met in [[{{Masquerade}} secret societies or similar]]. However, for some reason, those went extinct or went under the radar, so that today their offspring don't know about their heritage or abilities until they realize they've got superpowers. At this point the often meet MrExposition, who shows them their way of handling the powers inside and explain the goals of their ancestors which the offspring is usually intended to persue.

* In TheBible the first humans are depicted as living for anywhere from 300 to 900 years, even the ones who didn't have god-given superpowers. Justified in other cases like Samson, or the miracles of the prophets like Moses, Elijah and Jesus. There is implication that humans were originally created immortal with natural abilities that could be considered superhuman but greatly diminished after the Fall and have been further declining over time, healthcare and technology notwithstanding.

* The superhumanly powerful Headdmasters from Mamoru Nagano's ''Five Star Stories'' are the last remnants of the ancient precursor civilization known as the Farus Di Kanon, or the Super Empire.

* In the bible the first humans are depicted as living for anywhere from 300 to 900 years, even the ones who didn't have god-given superpowers. Justified in other cases like Samson, or the miracles of the prophets like Moses, Elijah and Jesus. There is implication that humans were originally created immortal with natural abilities that could be considered superhuman but greatly diminished after the Fall and have been further declining over time, healthcare and technology notwithstanding.

* Ubiquitous trope for all mythologies.
* In the bible the first humans are depicted as living for anywhere from 300 to 900 years, even the ones who didn't have god-given superpowers. Justified in other cases like Samson, or the miracles of the prophets like Moses, Elijah and Jesus.
** There is implication that humans were originally created immortal with natural abilities that could be considered superhuman but greatly diminished after the Fall and have been further declining over time, healthcare and technology notwithstanding.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' there was the Cetra or later called the Ancients. They were gifted with powerful magic and a high affinity toward the planet and the lifesteam allowing them insights such as if someone has died and rejoined the lifesteam. Sephiroth states that human are decendants of the Cetra, who forsook the migratory ways (and lost the magic powers) of the Cetra and cowered in fear (thus surviving) when Jenova was busy wiping out the Cetra.

* In one of the later MyTeacherIsAnAlien books, the protagonists learn that ''all'' humans were once telepaths. People eventually suppressed this ability because of the growing population - contact with so many other minds would have driven them insane otherwise. This is used to explain, in part, why HumansAreBastards sometimes, as they evolved to coexist using a means of communication and understanding which they no longer possessed.

* In the bible the first humans are depicted as living for anywhere from 300 to 900 years, even the ones who didn't have god-given superpowers.

* Pretty par for the course for all mythologies.

* Most heroes in epic poetry: Gilgamesh, Achilles, Hercules. Odysseus is actually an aversion; who has no special powers beyonf being a really devious and clever man.

* In ''FinalFantasy7'' there was the Cetra or later called the Ancients. They were gifted with powerful magic and a high affinity toward the planet and the lifesteam allowing them insights such as if someone has died and rejoined the lifesteam. Sephiroth states that human are decendants of the Cetra, who forsook the migratory ways (and lost the magic powers) of the Cetra and cowered in fear (thus surviving) when Jenova was busy wiping out the Cetra.

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->"''I fell 8,000 feet and landed on some jagged rocks. Of course, people were a lot tougher in those days. I was jitterbuggin' that very night!''"

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* While [[AssassinsCreed Desmond Miles]] knows he grew up in an assassin compound, he is shocked to discover the truth about his ancestors. Both Altair and Ezio, for example, have the Eagle Vision ability, which allows them to distinguish friend from foe and even see things that are hidden. Due to the "bleeding effect" of the Animus, he gains that ability as well. The assassins were also master engineers, as they had technology centuries ahead of the rest of humanity. Not to mention the whole First Civilization plotline, which is pure AncientAstronauts.

# The Legend becomes more legendary: A single, famous person like a king, general or folk hero is shown with non-historical, superhuman abilities which may or may not be based on the religion at that time. It is important to notice that these superhuman abilities are not the usual wonders as in TheBible, but show a more personal and anachronistic profile.

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* ''{{Sanctuary}}'' pegs NikolaTesla as a vampire with electric, and later magnetic, powers, [[SherlockHolmes Doctor Watson]] as a super-human genius, and {{Jack the Ripper}} as a teleporting bloodthirsty maniac.

* The ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode ''TheFinalSacrifice'' has the ancient Xiox civilization, which the cultists are descended from (and which Rowsdower is only a halfbreed descendant of.) Before being cursed by their gods, the Xiox had the power to make floating cities and, if [[BigBad Sartorus]] is any indication, at least some of them had psychic powers as well.

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* While [[AssassinsCreed Desmond Miles]] knows he grew up in an assassin compound, he is shocked to discover the truth about his ancestors. Both Altair and Ezio, for example, have the Eagle Vision ability, which allows them to distinguish friend from foe and even see things that are hidden. Due to the "bleeding effect" of the Animus, he gains that ability as well. The assassins were also master engineers, as they had technology centuries ahead of the rest of humanity. Not to mention the whole First Civilization plotline.

* ''He had a pocket full of horses/Fucked the shit out of bears/Threw a knife into heaven/And could kill with a stare/He made love like an eagle/Falling out of the sky/Killed his sensei in a duel/And he never said why!/Oh, Washington! Washington!/Twelve stories high, made of radiation/The present beware, the future beware/[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbRom1Rz8OA He's coming, he's coming, he's coming!]]''

* ''Sanctuary'' pegs Nikola Tesla as a vampire with electric, and later magnetic, powers, Doctor Watson as a super-human genius, and Jack the Ripper as a teleporting bloodthirsty maniac.