History Main / UpgradeVsPrototypeFight

** This also happens in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' in the final story where the two Ultimate Life Forms fight. Shadow, the perfected one, vs. the Biolizard, the [[FlawedProrotype failed prototype]]. Though the prototype puts up [[ThatOneBoss a damn good fight]], it loses in the end.

** ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk|2008}}'': The Hulk is meek scientist Bruce Banner after being injected with an imperfect copy of Captain America's formula and then exposed to gamma radiation. The Abomination is former Marine Emil Blonsky, having undergone an imperfect copy of the entire procedure that created Captain America (the formula and weaker irradiation) ''before'' being injected with samples of Banner's blood. As a consequence, Abomination is bigger and stronger than Hulk and retains Blonsky's mind, but that's not as big an advantage as it might seem since he starts deteriorating and doesn't care about anything but killing the Hulk regardless of the damage it causes. Things certainly aren't made any easier for Blonsky when Hulk's anger towards his [[BerserkButton threatening Betty Ross]] causes his power to increase, allowing him to fight back and overpower Blonsky as the fight goes on.

** ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk is meek scientist Bruce Banner after being injected with an imperfect copy of Captain America's formula and then exposed to gamma radiation. The Abomination is former Marine Emil Blonsky, having undergone an imperfect copy of the entire procedure that created Captain America (the formula and weaker irradiation) ''before'' being injected with samples of Banner's blood. As a consequence, Abomination is bigger and stronger than Hulk and retains Blonsky's mind, but that's not as big an advantage as it might seem since he starts deteriorating and doesn't care about anything but killing the Hulk regardless of the damage it causes. Things certainly aren't made any easier for Blonsky when Hulk's anger towards his [[BerserkButton threatening Betty Ross]] causes his power to increase, allowing him to fight back and overpower Blonsky as the fight goes on.

* In ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Shin Getter Robo vs. Neo Getter Robo]]'', Shou and Gai end up piloting Neo Getter Robo against an army of Getter Prototypes piloted by members of the Dinosaur Empire. It's a massive curbstomp battle until Gou is able to reawaken Shin Getter Robo and has it absorb the prototypes' Getter Energy.

** This also happens in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' in the final story where the two Ultimate Life Forms fight. Shadow, the perfected one, vs. the Biolizard, the failed prototype. Though the prototype puts up [[ThatOneBoss a damn good fight]], it loses in the end.

* A non-mechanical example happen in ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten'' with the biological weapons [[spoiler: [[CuteMonsterGirl Desco and Des-X]]]]. Although the latter is supposed to be more advanced of the two, they actually have near identical stats and skills. The former actually gains her ultimate skill while the latter don't.

* Several examples of forces co-opting one another's equipment show up in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' multiplayer. For instance, the second multiplayer DLC pack introduces Project Phoenix, ex-[[NGOSuperpower Cerberus]] agents who use new biotic lash technology in close-quarters fighting. In the fourth pack, Cerberus finally fields their own version, the Dragoon. True to the trope, the enemy version is tougher and more numerous, but the player's customization ability gives them a decisive edge. The N7 forces, released in the ''Earth'' pack, show a few examples of this with Cerberus's own troops as the "prototypes" (making this more of a {{Mook|s}} vs. AceCustom match). For instance, the Demolisher Engineer shares many similarities with a [[TheTurretMaster Cerberus Combat Engineer]], as does the N7 Paladin with the [[MightyGlacier Cerberus Guardian]]. The N7 Shadow and N7 Slayer are an unusual example in that they're both upgrades of the ''same'' unit, the Cerberus Phantom, albeit focusing on different abilities of the original.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'', twice over. In the final battle, Setsuna pilots the 00-Raiser, the [[SuperPrototype prototype]] for the Twin Drive System, against Ribbons' Reborns Gundam, which was built from its data and improved upon. The two machines wreck each other, with the Reborns Gundam barely coming out on top. Thus, Ribbons switches over to the 0 Gundam, the prototype to all of the Gundams in the show, while Setsuna switches to a rebuilt Gundam Exia "Repair II"[[note]]A completely overhauled, and now properly repaired version of the Exia which had been damaged since the end of Season 1, with upgrades to put it on par with current generation mobile suits[[/note]], which is a much stronger upgrade from the 0 Gundam (not to mention having equipped Exia with a new GN Sword Kai, an upgrade of its original GN Sword, but with the GN Sword III's GN Condensor blade material from the 00). The 0 Gundam, by comparison, has had no significant upgrades, besides getting the bugs worked out with its GN Drive. Between Setsuna having become a fully awakened Innovator and improved Exia, he's able to destroy Ribbons and the 0 Gundam.

** ''VideoGame/Halo3'''s Terminals reveal that [[{{Precursors}} the Forerunners]] built an AI called Mendicant Bias to defeat [[EldritchAbomination the Flood]], but [[AIIsACrapshoot it went rogue]]. To counter it, they built Offensive Bias, a successor AI designed to be less creative and independent, but more loyal and methodical. In the final fleet battle of the war, Offensive wins, [[spoiler:but only because it was stalling to allow the Forerunners to enact their real plan; firing the Halos to destroy every organic being left in the galaxy, including those already infected by the Flood, thus robbing Mendicant's fleet of its crew. Offensive Bias lost all his crew as well, but anticipating this moment easily switched to direct control of his warships, and utterly dismantled Mendicant Bias’s (far larger) fleet within three minutes]].

** ''VideoGame/Halo3'''s Terminals reveal that [[{{Precursors}} the Forerunners]] built an AI called Mendicant Bias to defeat [[EldritchAbomination the Flood]], but [[AIIsACrapshoot it went rogue]]. To counter it, they built Offensive Bias, a successor AI designed to be less creative and independent, but more loyal and methodical. In the final fleet battle of the war, Offensive wins, [[spoiler:but only because it was stalling to allow the Forerunners to enact their real plan; firing the Halos to destroy every organic being left in the galaxy, including those already infected by the Flood, thus robbing Mendicant's fleet of its crew. Offensive Bias lost all his crew as well, but anticipating this moment easily switched to direct control of his warships, and utterly dismantled Mendicant Bias’s (far larger) fleet within three minutes.]].

** ''VideoGame/Halo3'''s Terminals reveal that [[{{Precursors}} the Forerunners]] built an AI called Mendicant Bias to defeat [[EldritchAbomination the Flood]], but [[AIIsACrapshoot it went rogue]]. To counter it, they built Offensive Bias, a successor AI designed to be less creative and independent, but more loyal and methodical. In the final fleet battle of the war, Offensive wins, [[spoiler:but only because it was stalling to allow the Forerunners to enact their real plan; firing the Halos to destroy every organic being left in the galaxy, including those already infected by the Flood, thus robbing Mendicant's fleet of its crew. Offensive Bias, lost all his crew as well, but anticipating this moment easily switched to direct control of his warships, and utterly dismantled Mendicant Bias’s (far larger) fleet within three minutes.]].

** ''VideoGame/Halo3'''s Terminals reveal that [[{{Precursors}} the Forerunners]] built an AI called Mendicant Bias to defeat [[EldritchAbomination the Flood]], but [[AIIsACrapshoot it went rogue]]. To counter it, they built Offensive Bias, a successor AI designed to be less creative and independent, but more loyal and methodical. Offensive wins, [[spoiler:but only because it was stalling to allow the Forerunners to enact their real plan; firing the Halos to destroy every organic being left in the galaxy, including those already infected by the Flood, thus robbing Mendicant's fleet of its crew]].

->'''Walton Simons:''' If you recall our chat in the breakroom at [=UNATCO=], you know that I have the same augmentation technology as you.\\
'''JC Denton:''' Then this will be a good fight.\\
'''Walton Simons:''' With the exception that I have a newer version of the firmware.
-->-- ''VideoGame/DeusEx''

* Data (upgrade) and Lore (prototype) have this sort of relationship on ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration]].'' Atypically for this trope, Data is the heroic character, whereas Lore is a RoboticPsychopath. As they are RidiculouslyHumanRobots, it's explicitly depicted as SiblingRivalry.

* ''Solo'' (1996) involves the titular character being a prototype android built as a perfect fighting machine. When his programming develops flaws (i.e. conscience and compassion), he is ordered to be reprogrammed. Solo escapes into the Central American jungle and befriends the locals. After beating the vengeful Colonel Madden's soldiers sent after him, he faces off against Solo [=MkII=], a more advanced android with Madden's face and a multi-barreled gun instead of one hand. Solo manages to beat the [=MkII=] having learned to bluff from a local boy and convinces the military that he died along with the [=MkII=] in the resulting explosion.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'': Solid Snake and Liquid Snake are both born from an experiment to create clones of Big Boss, one clone superior and the other inferior. Later, the two face off inside Metal Gears, Snake in the original REX mecha, and Liquid in the RAY mecha designed to hunt down REX.

Related to SuperPrototype, FlawedPrototype, DavidVersusGoliath. Compare CainAndAbel and RockBeatsLaser.

* ''Film/JurassicWorld'' features the battle between ''Indominus rex'' and ''TyrannosaurusRex''. The ''T. rex'' is the original specimen from the [[Film/JurassicPark first park]], the ''I. rex'' is a brand-new creature designed to surpass her in every way. The fight is closely fought, [[spoiler:but ''T. rex'' manages to win with some help from [[RaptorAttack Blue]] and the ''[[SeaMonster Mosasaurus]]''.]]

->'''Walton Simons''': If you recall our chat in the breakroom at [=UNATCO=], you know that I have the same augmentation technology as you.\\
'''JC Denton''': Then this will be a good fight.\\
'''Walton Simons''': With the exception that I have a newer version of the firmware.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''Manga/FairyTail''

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** ''Film/IronMan''
*** ''Film/{{Iron Man|1}}'' has a sort-of example: The Iron Monger suit is based off research from the original Mark I armor, and is certainly larger and more powerful than Tony's. The latter's Mark III is also an upgrade, but is weaker because it's using the Mark I's old arc reactor. [[spoiler: Tony managed to temporarily win against it because he tested his jets beforehand and knew that there was an icing issue at a certain altitude, which was why the Mark III was made out of a gold alloy rather than the steel one used in the Mark II, which Stane did not account for]].

** The OCP corporation in ''Film/RoboCop2'' decides to replace Robocop with Robocop 2, another robot with a human brain controlling it. At the climax of the movie, Robocop battles Robocop 2 to the death, and [[TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin wins.]]
** The 2014 ''Film/{{RoboCop|2014}}'' remake has Robocop beta-tested against the established line of battle robots. The trope gets played both ways, as Robo's "upgrade" (a human personality) causes him to lose despite his mechanical superiority, then a further upgrade (basically undoing the first) allows him to win.

* ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'': KSI and Cemetery Wind design their own man-made Transformers [[spoiler:made from dead Autobots and Decepticons]], continually boasting their superiority over actual Transformers. For the record, when in battle, two Autobots alone were able to survive an army, taking out at least a dozen. When the other three arrive, with the four Dinobots, they destroy almost the entire army with relative ease. Not a single real Transformer was destroyed.

* ''Film/{{Logan}}'' has two battles between [[spoiler: Logan and X-24, a younger clone created only to kill. This one's a rare example of the upgrade winning: Logan is completely outmatched and both times X-24 is defeated by [[BigDamnHeroes someone else taking it by surprise.]] Logan succumbs to the wounds X-24 inflicted upon him shortly after the second battle.]]

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog''

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* The fight between Klik and Evil Klik in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'' is this trope to a t; with an older model facing off against a stronger, more violent, evil model. [[spoiler:The underdog doesn't win in this one, though.]]

--> You may be a newer model, but you can't defeat me in physical combat.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TitanMaximum'', the titular Titan Maximum robot (a parody of Anime/{{Voltron}}) versus the upgraded, state-of-the-art Titan Megamum (yes, "Megamum" isn't a real word). Maximum is co-piloted by five people in airplane-like cockpits, while Megamum is piloted by one person using a Nintendo Wii controller. Megamum wipes the floor with Maximum...though this is because it also had the military access codes that allowed it to remotely shut down Maximum. Some quick reprogramming [[RemovedAchillesHeel removed this edge]] during their subsequent fights. Even so it was still overall better-equipped than the aging, poorly-repaired Titan Maximum - knowing that the er, groin, of humanoid robots is an armor weak spot, and that a favored tactic of the Maximum crew was to [[GroinAttack take advantage of this]], Megamum had force-fields installed to shield its, er, weak point. The battle is grueling, though the greater experience of the Maximum crew gradually turns the tide of the fight.

** In ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', the T-800 faces the T-X, which has a much more powerful, tough and better-equipped (and fully armed) endoskeleton with a liquid metal cover for better infiltration and the ability to hack and reprogram other machines. The T-850 notes that it is an obsolete model compared to it, so tries to avoid direct confrontation. And the one time they ''do'' have a direct confrontation, the T-X absolutely dominates before almost totally tearing the T-800's head off with a stomp and only choosing not to destroy it then and there in favor of reprogramming it to kill the heroes (which it only barely prevents itself from doing with a forced shutdown and reboot). It eventually has to [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice itself to beat it]].

** In ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', the T-800 faces the T-X, which has a much more powerful, tough and better-equipped (and fully armed) endoskeleton with a liquid metal cover for better infiltration. The T-850 notes that it is an obsolete model compared to it, so tries to avoid direct confrontation. It eventually has to [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice itself to beat it]].

* In the ''ComicBook/IronMan'' comics, Tony Stark has had to face off occasionally against advanced versions of his armor using older models; the earliest example of this was when small-time crook Weasel Willis stole the first red-and-gold suit and Tony had to fight him in the original gold armor, using its greater endurance and his superior knowledge against Willis's superior firepower. Some of the more famous examples include when he battled [[AIIsACrapshoot his own armor]] gone {{Yandere}} in the ''Sentient Armor'' arc, and later facing off against ComicBook/NormanOsborn, who was using his ''ComicBook/DarkAvengers'' "Iron Patriot" suit, with a suit (literally) [[MemeticMutation made in a cave, with a box of scraps]] (although in this last fight Tony was suffering from brain damage and deliberately put himself in a position where he'd lose to ruin Osborn's public image). This idea was played with in Creator/MattFraction's "Five Nightmares of Tony Stark" storyline. In that story, a villain got his hands on some of Stark's tech, and used it to create armies of cheap, expendable Iron Men suicide bombers. Though Tony never fought the knock-offs directly, the situation was one of his titular nightmares: not a ''better'' version of his suit but a ''cheaper'' one, something that could be mass-produced.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory'', with the GP-02A "Physalis" Gundam (prototype) versus the GP-01 "Zephyranthes" Gundam (upgrade). The former is a new prototype version Gundam designed to deploy a nuclear warhead at close range, the latter is a simple refinement of earlier Gundam designs. The Physalis is [[GrandTheftPrototype stolen in the first episode]], and the Zephyranthes is deployed as part of the hunt to reclaim it.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'', twice over. In the final battle, Setsuna pilots the 00-Raiser, the [[SuperPrototype prototype]] for the Twin Drive System, against Ribbons' Reborns Gundam, which was built from its data and improved upon. The two machines wreck each other, with the Reborns Gundam barely coming out on top. Thus, Ribbons switches over to the 0 Gundam, the prototype to all of the Gundams in the show, while Setsuna switches to a rebuilt Gundam Exia "Repair II"[[note]]A completely overhauled, and now properly repaired version of the Exia which had been damaged since the end of Season 1, with upgrades to put it on par with current generation mobile suits[[/note]], which is a much stronger upgrade from the 0 Gundam (not to mention having equipped Exia with a new GN Sword Kai, an upgrade of its original GN Sword, but with the GN Sword III's GN Condensor blade material from the 00). The 0 Gundam, by comparison, has had no significant upgrades, besides getting the bugs worked out with its GN Drive. Between Setsuna having become a fully awakened Innovator and improved Exia, he's able to destroy Ribbons and the 0 Gundam.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'':
** The Tallgeese is an in-universe SuperPrototype from which all other Mobile Suit designs originated, but was deemed too dangerous for the pilot and became nothing more than a museum exhibit and collector's curiosity. It is heavily armored and possesses incredible maneuverability, but to do this it was mounted with two very powerful vernier thruster jets. However, there was no consideration for its pilot and indeed, when it was piloted by someone other than Zechs, it ''killed him'' from the G-force alone. The derivative Leo suit was designed with much lighter armor and no jets. When the Gundams start raising hell of all kinds, the bad guys decide to BreakOutTheMuseumPiece. The Tallgeese proves itself quite capable on the battlefield repeatedly afterwards with a good pilot inside it.
** The [[MidSeasonUpgrade Wing Gundam Zero]] is a subversion in that in-universe its design is 15 years old, but the suit wasn't built until during the series because the engineers originally thought it was too dangerous to build. The plans instead were passed on to each of the scientists and each made modifications to form the 5 subsequent Gundams. Its first major battle pitted it against a pair of Mobile Suits built by the Gundam engineers to surpass the original five Gundams and it was ultimately used against the Epyon, which was built based on combat data of the original five.
* There's a much earlier example in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack'': the Nu Gundam's psychoframe was built using data Char intentionally leaked to the development team so that [[WorthyOpponent Amuro]] could fight him on equal terms - data he collected while building the Sazabi's own psychoframe. In the final battle, the Nu Gundam completely trashes the Sazabi.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'' has the Unicorn and its improved version, the Banshee. The two battle several times but a decisive outcome is never reached, although it is explicitly stated that Banagher is actively holding back the Unicorn to avoid hurting his opponent. In the end, [[spoiler:the Banshee pulled a HeelFaceTurn and [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome fought alongside the Unicorn]] as BackToBackBadasses]], so the point became moot.
** Another instance of this trope is the Sinanju Stein and the Unicorn, the Sinanju Stein being the testbed of the Unicorn's psycoframe that got [[GrandTheftPrototype stolen]] and remodeled to look like the Sazabi.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'' has the Gundam Bael, a closely guarded relic from the Calamity War in Gjallerhorn's home office, which [[spoiler: [=McGillis=]]] takes in a ploy to claim control of Gjallerhorn as their ancient traditions say the one able to pilot Bael is the rightful heir. The Gundam Kimaris, piloted by [[spoiler: the NotQuiteDead Gaelio]], is from the same era but redesigned to use the [[UnusualUserInterface Alaya Vijnana]] piloting interface [[WetwareCPU with modifications]] (called Type E) to push it to [[LimitBreak its full capacity]] without [[PowerAtAPrice the established downsides]]. Bael has the Alaya Vijnana too but just a traditional version, the pilot is [[AcePilot just good enough]] that it's a shockingly close battle.
* In ''Manga/MobileSuitGundamSEEDAstray'', Lowe Guele and his Astray Red Frame is pitted against Rondo Ginas Sahaku and a M1 Astray, a mass produced Mobile Suit based on the Red Frame. The battle is something of a tie - Ginas, being a Coordinator, defeat Lowe in combat. However, his method of his defeat -- disarming the Astray of its katana and using it against him -- damages the servos in the M1's arm, leaving Ginas humiliated.

** ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' is a classic example. With the good guys, you have the T-800: powerful, sturdy, and good with weapons. But for the bad guys there is the T-1000: just as strong, just as smart, and able to morph its body into almost anything thanks to its liquid metal form. The two face each other directly at the end of the film, and the T-1000 utterly dominates in close combat and successfully disables the T-800, who is unable to leave any lasting damage due to its enemy's liquid metal body regenerating it all. The T-800 is only able to win by reactivating its backup power supply, grabbing a grenade launcher, and blasting the T-1000 into molten steel where it's unable to escape and melts into nothing.

** Then there's Acnologia (a 1st Generation Dragon Slayer [[spoiler:who completely [[{{Weredragon}} transformed into a dragon]]) versus God Serena (a 2nd Generation Dragon Slayer [[spoiler:with ''eight'' Dragon Lacrima implanted into his body that gives him eight different elements to work with]]). [[spoiler:Acnologia [[CurbStompBattle tears a hole in God Serena's side]] while the latter is boasting and leaves him to die in a pool of his own blood without batting an eye.]]

** Natsu and Gajeel in turn are outclassed by Laxus, who is a 2nd Generation Dragon Slayer (a Dragon Slayer that only has Dragon Lacrima implanted and often referred to as an "artificial" or "fake" Dragon Slayer). Again, the difference is in sheer magical power (Laxus was matching ''both'' of them ''before'' he revealed his Dragon Slayer magic).

** The third Halloween event has this happening ''again'' in relation to Elisabeth. Specifically, [[RobotMe Mecha Eli-chan Mk. I]] (a prototype version of a robot Elisabeth designed with the purpose of acting like a proper ruler complete with Elisabeth's color scheme) faces off against a bunch of mass-produced Mecha Eli-chan Mk. II drones before fighting the actual Mk. II (the "proper" robot Elisabeth who has a full gunmetal-grey color scheme). It should be noted, however, that the "prototype" and "upgrade" both have the exact same combat capabilities under normal circumstances. Mk. II was only made because their creator didn't like how Mk. I's [[KnightTemplar personality]] turned out, and it turns out [[CardCarryingVillain Mk. II's]] wasn't much better [[spoiler:with the utter irony being if Osakahime had bothered to install the [[RestrainingBolt heart circuits]] before activating them, the whole debacle and betrayal by ''both'' of them wouldn't have happened]]. The drones are easily dealt with due to their simplistic AI, while Mk. I and Mk. II have fully fleshed intelligence and personalities (if still clashing due to their personal ideals) to maximize their effectiveness.