Discussion Main / FakeUltimateHero

The examples for The Boys don't seem like they're the case from my understanding. Soldier Boy and Homelander are both raging, sociopathic, violent dickheads with good PR, but they're both also incredibly powerful. The only issue they have is that when faced with someone of equal power they struggle because they've just been able to curbstomp everyone else.

As far as I understand it, this trope's about someone who's actually pretty weak and useless in a fight but everyone's convinced they're powerful.

Kick the world, break your foot.

Is this page supposed to have Real Life examples? I have a feeling that this might qualify for No Real Life Examples, Please!.

Edited by AHI-3000

• One early story arc in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured Li Nalas, the greatest hero of the Bajoran resistance. He had chased down Gul Zarale, an infamous Cardassian war criminal, and then killed him, inspiring Bajoran rebels all across the world with his bravery. His return was expected to unite Bajor under him. Only it's a massive exaggeration. Li Nalas was scouting when he accidentally fell into a lake some Cardassian was bathing in, and shot him in his underwear before the man could get his own gun. Only afterward did he realize it was the Cardassian War Criminal Gul Zarale, and the story spread and got slightly changed as it went on until it didn't remotely resemble what he actually did. Li Nalas hated that he was regarded as a hero and considered himself a massive fake, to the point that when he dies quite heroically his last words are to express relief at being "off the hook" for needing to live up to his supposedly undeserved reputation.
  • So what was the infamous Cardassian war criminal doing in Li Nalas' underwear?

The second-level bullet point doesn't contribute to the example. I'm putting it here because it's funny.

Edited by 69.172.221.8 Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. -Terry Pratchett Hide / Show Replies