History AdaptationalBadass / LiveActionTv

* ''Series/TheShannaraChronicles'': Although she does [[FauxActionGirl get captured a lot]], the show's Amberle still is introduced while [[YouGoGirl beating boys in a race]] and she's quite skilled with weapons

* ''AdaptationalBadass/GameOfThrones''

** Season 9 transformed B-list villain The Icicle II into a menace whose presence alone was enough to turn any room into [[WalkingWasteland an arctic wasteland]]. He's able to take out three Justice Society members before being stopped. Season 10 does the same thing with [[TortureTechnician Desaad]], changing his from a sniveling DirtyCoward into a SerialKiller whose PsychicPowers allow him to take on {{Superman}}.

** Similarly Queen Maeve doesn't do much in the comic, either [[ReallyGetsAround sleeping around with loads of dudes]] or just sitting on her butt [[TheAlcoholic guzzling alcohol]]. Despite being a WonderWomanWannabe, Maeve's strength is very much an InformedAbility [[spoiler:and the one time we see her fight against Homelander, she gets killed easily]]. The show's Maeve is super badass as [[PedestrianCrushesCar she destroys an armored van that rams into her]] and has the strength to overpower [[ShockAndAwe Stormfront]] who almost equaled [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]].
** Soldier Boy was a ComicBook/CaptainAmerica {{expy}} and FakeUltimateHero who in the comic was killed by Mallory in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII after his team's incompetence got his platoon wiped out by the Germans, with [[EvilInc Vought]] turning him into a LegacyHero to cover it up. In the show, he is courageous fighter and capable combatant even before he CameBackStrong. Even ''Homelander'' worshipped the guy, saying he was [[LonelyAtTheTop the only person who knew what it was like to be (almost) as strong as him]]. That said, [[spoiler:Soldier Boy never actually fought in [=WW2=], making him a PhonyVeteran just like his comics counterpart]], not that it doesn't make him less of a fighter. On top of enhanced strength, durability and speed, he can also shoot nuclear blasts capable of killing and depowering supes.

** Soldier Boy was a ComicBook/CaptainAmerica {{expy}} and FakeUltimateHero who in the comic was killed by Mallory in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII after his team's incompetence got his platoon wiped out by the Germans, with [[EvilInc Vought]] turning him into a LegacyHero to cover it up. In the show, he is courageous fighter and capable combatant even before he CameBackStrong. Even ''Homelander'' worshipped the guy, saying he was [[LonelyAtTheTop the only person who knew what it was like to be (almost) as strong as him]]. That said, [[spoiler:Soldier Boy never actually saw real combat in [=WW2=], making him a PhonyVeteran more in line with his comics counterpart not that it makes him any less dangerous nor capable of giving Homelander a run for his money]].

** Soldier Boy was a ComicBook/CaptainAmerica {{expy}} and FakeUltimateHero who in the comic was killed by Mallory in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII after his team's incompetence got his platoon wiped out by the Germans, with [[EvilInc Vought]] turning him into a LegacyHero to cover it up. In the show, he actually ''did'' kick ass in the war and is shown to be a capable combatant even before he CameBackStrong. Even ''Homelander'' worshipped the guy, saying he was [[LonelyAtTheTop the only person who knew what it was like to be (almost) as strong as him]].

* In a series that typically keeps most characters similar to the originals, Kat from ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'' is shown to be a better and more competent fighter than her counterpart in ''Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger''. Unlike her counterpart, Kat does battle a group of mooks unmorphed and generally is presented a lot more serious and determined. (This even continues into the episode where Swan/Kat gets a one-shot Ranger morph. Perhaps the ''only'' differences between the two versions of that episode: Kat fights the MechaMooks unmorphed for quite some time; Swan morphs the moment they appear. Kat gets to do Judgment Time; Swan doesn't.) Also, [[MonsterOfTheWeek Ben-G]], who had had a beef with sentai Doggie for capturing him earlier, is now a ''general of the invaders who nearly wiped out Doggie's planet in the backstory,'' and gets a two-parter as Doggie tries to overcome his HeroicBSOD and avenge his world.

** Season 9 transformed B-list villain The Icicle II into a GameBreaker whose presence alone was enough to turn any room into [[WalkingWasteland an arctic wasteland]]. He's able to take out three Justice Society members before being stopped. Season 10 does the same thing with [[TortureTechnician Desaad]], changing his from a sniveling DirtyCoward into a SerialKiller whose PsychicPowers allow him to take on {{Superman}}.

** Soldier Boy was a ComicBook/CaptainAmerica {{expy}} and FakeUltimateHero who in the comic was killed by Mallory in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII after his team's incompetence got his platoon wiped out by the Germans, with [[EvilInc Vought]] turning him into a LegacyHero to cover it up. In the show, he actually ''did'' kick ass in the war and is shown to be a capable combatant even before he CameBackStrong.

** Starlight gets a great deal of this. In the [[ComicBook/TheBoys comic]] her main role in the story was getting [[BreakTheCutie victimized]] by [[SmugSuper The Seven]] and being a SatelliteLoveInterest to Hughie[[note]] and even that was an afterthought since Creator/GarthEnnis initally planned to have her commit suicide [[/note]], she also doesn't get involved in the main conflict and [[FauxActionGirl barely uses]] her LightEmUp powers. The show's Starlight is a ActionGirl proper, whom can take on other supes and saves Hugie's life, she even joins The Boys in their fight against Voight.

** Similarly Queen Maeve doesn't do much in the comic, either [[ReallyGetsAround sleeping around with loads of dudes]] or just sitting on her butt [[TheAlcoholic guzzling alcohol]]. Despite being a WonderWomanWannabe Maeve's strength is very much an InformedAbility [[spoiler:and the one time we see her fight against Homelander, she gets killed easily]]. The show's Maeve is super badass as [[PedestrianCrushesCar she destroys an armored van that rams into her]] and has the strength to overpower [[ShockAndAwe Stormfront]] who almost equaled [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]].

** Similarly Queen Mauve doesn't do much in the comic, either [[ReallyGetsAround sleeping around with loads of dudes]] or just sitting on her butt [[TheAlcoholic guzzling alcohol]]. Despite being an {{expy}} of Franchise/WonderWoman Mauve's strength is very much an InformedAbility [[spoiler:and the one time we see her fight against Homelander, she gets killed easily]]. The show's Mauve is super badass as [[PedestrianCrushesCar she destroys an armored van that rams into her]] and has the strength to overpower [[ShockAndAwe Stormfront]] who equaled [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]].
** The Supes in general. In the comic none of them are ImmuneToBullets and can be easily killed by the military with MoreDakka as well as by [[BadassNormal Badass Normals]] with blunt instruments, which can be chalked up to Ennis's [[TakeThat dislike]] for costumed heros. In the show ''all'' the Supes have SuperToughness that reaches NighInvulnerability in the case of Homelander and to a lesser extent Stormfront, the titular Boys had to insert [[WhyAmITicking bomb inside]] one Super [[spoiler: Translucent]] to kill him. A lot them are also StrongAndSkilled, rather than just UnskilledButStrong like the comics.

** Similarly Queen Mauve doesn't do much in the comic, either [[ReallyGetsAround sleeping around with loads of dudes]] or just sitting on her butt [[TheAlcoholic guzzling alcohol]]. Despite being an {{expy}} of Franchise/WonderWoman Mauve's strength is very much an InformedAbility [[spoiler: and the one time we see her fight against Homelander, she gets killed easily]]. The show's Mauve is super badass as [[PedestrianCrushesCar she destroys an armored van that rams into her]] and has the strength to overpower [[ShockAndAwe Stormfront]] who equaled [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]].
** The Supes in general. In the comic none of them are ImmuneToBullets and can be easily killed by the military with MoreDakka as well as by [[BadassNormal Badass Normals]] with blunt instruments, which can be chalked up to Ennis's [[TakeThat dislike]] for costumed heros. In the show ''all'' the Supes have SuperToughness that reaches NighInvulnerability in the case of Homelander and to a lesser extent Stormfront, the titular Boys had to insert [[WhyAmITicking bomb inside]] one Super [[spoiler: Translucent]] to kill him. A lot them are also StrongAndSkilled, rather than just StrongButUnskilled like the comics.

** John's military career is given much more emphasis, and it's repeatedly established that he accompanies Sherlock because he misses the danger and excitement of his army days. Though, like his original self, he does like his friend, wants to help him out should he need it, and would ''gladly'' offer his life in exchange for his friend's. For a couple of times (like his [[Literature/SherlockHolmes original self]]), John is able to come up with some very well-reasoned deductions, even if they end up being wrong. He also has excellent aiming skills and [[spoiler: [[BadassAdorable shoots the murderer in the first episode through two windows (they were in adjacent wings of the same building) with a 9mm P226, in the head, ONE HANDED]]]]. While [[CombatPragmatist tied to a chair at the time]], he ended a [[TooDumbToLive Chinese gangster's life]]. During the third episode of the first season, he [[TranquilFury threatened death]] [[WhatAnIdiot on a professional killer that had his best friend in a headlock.]] Then, when John has [[OhCrap a bomb vest strapped to himself]], he [[spoiler:grabs onto Moriarty and tells Sherlock to get out of the room they're in]]! Cue [[BuffySpeak Sherlock being VERY flustered at this.]]

* ''Series/TheBoys'':

* Series/TheWalkingDead upgraded many of the {{Non Action Guy}}s, {{Neutral Female}}s and emotionally-wrecked/unstable characters [[Comicbook/TheWalkingDead from the comic]] into StrongerThanTheyLook {{Action Survivor}}s, if not, full-fledged [[ActionHero action]] [[ActionGirl type]] characters.

* In the comic books Wonder Woman has two separate lariats, the lasso of compulsion and the lasso of truth. They are both unbreakable, but otherwise have different powers and she cannot effectively use both at the same time unless one of her Wonder Girl SideKicks holds the other for her. ''Series/WonderWoman1975'' gives Wonder Woman a magic lasso with ''all'' of the powers both her lariats have in the comics, as well as some powers neither had in the comics, such as a "minor" wish granting ability when an ensnared person wants to have her memory erased and the lasso complies. What's more, the show's Wonder Girl has an exact replica of the lasso, so they can both use all the powers in two different locations.

%% This page's examples section is sorted alphabetically. It would be lovely if you'd maintain this, thanks!

* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
** Season 9 transformed B-list villain The Icicle II into a GameBreaker whose presence alone was enough to turn any room into [[WalkingWasteland an arctic wasteland]]. He's able to take out three Justice Society members before being stopped. Season 10 does the same thing with [[TortureTechnician Desaad]], changing his from a sniveling DirtyCoward into a SerialKiller whose PsychicPowers allow him to take on {{Superman}}.
** Lana Lang in the original DCU continuity wasn't even half as badass as she comes off in ''Smallville''. Even at her best, she was the outspoken Daily Planet Editor who was a vocal supporter of an aged Batman. In ''Smallville'' Lana is apparently a kickass martial artist, skilled hacker, and master tactician whose skill could apparently rival that of renowned, albeit younger, ChessMaster Lex Luthor, much to his chagrin and respect.
** In the comics ComicBook/LexLuthor's fighting abilities vary, but typically he isn't much of a physical threat (intellectually is another matter) without his warsuit. On ''Smallville'' he was a deadly martial artist who once battled Green Arrow to a draw in a GunKata duel.
** Lionel Luthor, Lex's AbusiveDad, is usually little more than an alcoholic brute. ''Smallville'' made him the prototypical Lex, a grandiose CorruptCorporateExecutive and master manipulator, as well as a top-tier BadassNormal. Said one Internet reviewer "even in a show with meteor freaks and aliens, Lionel always managed to feel like the most powerful person in the room."
* In a series that typically keeps most characters similar to the originals, Kat from ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'' is shown to be a better and more competent fighter than her counterpart in ''Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger''. Unlike her counterpart, Kat does battle a group of mooks unmorphed and generally is presented a lot more serious and determined. (This even continues into the episode where Swan/Kat gets a one-shot Ranger morph. Perhaps the ''only'' differences between the two versions of that episode: Kat fights the MechaMooks unmorphed for quite some time; Swan morphs the moment they appear. Kat gets to do Judgment Time; Swan doesn't.) Also, [[MonsterOfTheWeek Ben-G]], who had had a beef with sentai Doggie for capturing him earlier, is now a ''general of the invaders who nearly wiped out Doggie's planet in the backstory,'' and gets a two-parter as Doggie tries to overcome his HeroicBSOD and avenge his world.
** A minor version with the Fear Cats and Tyzonn in ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'' (Minor because it's confined to one battle.) While the Fear Cats school the Overdrive Rangers as badly as the Questers did the Boukengers, there are two differences: The Overdrive Rangers have some vehicles in their arsenal the Boukengers don't, and the Questers' power source interferes with the Boukengers' suits so badly they could barely ''stand,'' let alone fight, making the SixthRanger with the new power source the only one who could fight at ''all'' in his debut episode, while this plot point was left out of Power Rangers. This means where the Questers beat up on highly compromised Rangers who could barely stand, the Fear Cats were pounding the daylights out of Rangers who were fighting at 100% potential and breaking out things like flying bikes with laser cannons, and the MiniMecha that once took out two monsters ''at once'' without breaking a sweat. (It also means we have to add Tyzonn, the SixthRanger, to this list, because his Ranger debut, singlehandedly taking on both of them and forcing their retreat, is a more impressive feat here.)
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': Snow White is an ActionGirl, Red Riding Hood is [[spoiler: a werewolf]] and an ActionGirl, while her grandmother is [[spoiler: a former werewolf]] and a crossbow-wielding [[NeverMessWithGranny badass]].
** Also, Rumpelstiltskin is a future-seeing, dark magic wielding MagnificentBastard and the miller's daughter is a dark sorceress and a ruthless queen.
** Also, Prince Charming is a tried and true sword fighter who is also impeccably brave. He was trained to sword fight by none other than [[WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}} Princess Anna]].
** Peter Pan goes from being Badass to also getting brains, having his Shadow be an extension of his power and running Neverland like a prison warden.
** Also, Jack from ''Literature/JackAndTheBeanstalk'' is now a giant slayer rather than a giant evader.
* ''Series/TheWorstWitch''
** Agatha Cackle and her cronies were quite easily defeated by Mildred casting a spell to turn them into snails. In the TV series, they manage to outwit her and reach the school, even succeeding in turning Miss Cackle into a frog. They return in the season 1 finale with another plan that comes quite close to succeeding.
** Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom in the books were merely just the girls' teachers with little mention of their powers. In the TV series, they are very powerful witches and demonstrate great power. Miss Cackle is able to freeze Agatha and her cronies effortlessly while Miss Hardbroom is able to stop a powerful magical blizzard that would have covered the entire world.

** Irene Adler gets an upgrade [[spoiler:since she is actually a cover identity for Moriarty]]
* Done once in a while in the Granada adaptations of ''Series/SherlockHolmes''. For example, in "The Lady Frances Carfax", Watson chases down and shoots the villain at the climax (in the original the villain got away), and in "The Solitary Cyclist", we get to see Holmes and Woodley's fistfight rather than just hearing Holmes mention it.
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'':
** John's military career is given much more emphasis, and it's repeatedly established that he accompanies Sherlock because he misses the danger and excitement of his army days. Though, like his original self, he does like his friend, wants to help him out should he need it, and would ''gladly'' offer his life in exchange for his friend's. For a couple of times (like his [[Literature/SherlockHolmes original self]]), John is able to come up with some very well-reasoned deductions, even if they end up being wrong. He also has excellent aiming skills and [[spoiler: [[BadassAdorable shoots the murderer in the first episode through two windows (they were in adjacent wings of the same building) with a 9mm P226, in the head, ONE HANDED]]]]. While [[CombatPragmatist tied to a chair at the time]], he ended a [[TooDumbToLive Chinese gangster's life]]. During the third episode of the first season, he [[TranquilFury threatened death]] [[WhatAnIdiot on a professional killer that had his best friend in a headlock.]] Then, when John has [[OhCrap a bomb vest strapped to himself]], he [[spoiler:grabs onto Moriarty and tells Sherlock to get out of the room they're in]]! Cue [[BuffySpeak Sherlock being VERY flustered at this.]]
** Irene Adler just wanted to be left alone with her new husband in the books. Here, she's a dominatrix who pawns Sherlock, [[spoiler: knocks him out]], makes Moriarty rage and brings the British government, Royal Family and the nation itself to its knees. Almost.
** [[spoiler: Mary Morstan]] is a former CIA assassin who kicked ass while being [[PregnantBadass pregnant at the time]]. Not a smart move to mess with her. Doesn't help that she [[spoiler: shot Sherlock]].
* Series/TheWalkingDead upgraded many of the {{Non Action Guy}}s, {{Neutral Female}}s and emotionally-wrecked/unstable characters [[Comicbook/TheWalkingDead from the comic]] into StrongerThanTheyLook {{Action Survivor}}s, if not, full-fledged [[ActionHero action]] [[ActionGirl type]] characters.
** Glenn went from a NonActionGuy [[TookALevelInBadass to an]] ActionSurvivor from the comics to a combat-proficient ActionSurvivor from ''the get-go'' in the series.
** In the comic, Lori would often fumble with her gun, and Carl saved her on more than one occasion. In the show, she is making headshots at night without panicking.
** Maggie Greene went from an emotionally fragile girl from the comic to an emotionally strong and assertive in the show. Not only that, but the series also made her the most competent ActionGirl of the group until Michonne joins in season 3. And if you take into account that Michonne is [[KatanasAreJustBetter bad with guns]], Maggie is still the group's ace female marksman. Not that Maggie is [[JackOfAllStats bad at melee either]].
** Because Carol is given tons of AdaptationalAngstUpgrade, she TookALevelInBadass in season 3 and becomes much, much more combat proficient and emotional stability than her comic counterpart.
** Due to being SparedByTheAdaptation, Shane was able to showcase a lot of his badassness in the TV series.
** The series also gave the already Badass Governor a strong set of [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative skills]].

* In ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', this is done to the titular [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Arrow]] himself, Oliver Queen, at least in terms of his capabilities in hand-to-hand combat. While Ollie in the comics was never a bad fighter per se, he couldn't hold a candle to the much deadlier hand-to-hand combatants of the DCU (such as [[Franchise/BatMan Batman]] or ComicBook/LadyShiva) and instead relied more on his {{Trick Arrow}}s and [[ImprobableAimingSkills expert marksmenship]]. In the show, Oliver regularly goes up against expert fighters and, due to a limited number of arrows and lack of tricks, he tends to spend more time during fights smacking people with his fists and bow rather than shooting them. This comes to a head in Season 3 where ComicBook/RasAlGhul considers him a WorthyOpponent after [[spoiler: [[BackFromTheDead coming back to life]]]] from their first duel [[spoiler: and tries to make him his heir]] before Ollie manages [[spoiler: to kill him]] at the end of the season.

* In the ''Series/{{Shadowhunters}}'' episode "The Mortal Cup", Dot helps Jocelyn fight off some of Valentine's minions, although she ultimately fails to stop them from kidnapping Jocelyn. Her counterpart Madame Dorothea does no fighting in either ''Literature/{{City of Bones|2007}}'' or ''Film/TheMortalInstrumentsCityOfBones''.
* In the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' franchise, the genetically engineered superhuman augments of the late 20th century (as personified by Khan) have gotten increasingly badass in each progressive series (due largely to progressively better special effects budgets). In the original ''Star Trek'' Khan "had the strength of five men", but Kirk could still hold his own against him in a fistfight by being a CombatPragmatist. The young Augments in ''Enterprise'' could dodge disruptor bolts, punch Klingons across the room, and even resist stun shots from a phaser. Finally, [[spoiler: Khan]] in ''Star Trek into Darkness'' is a OneManArmy who wipes out an entire Klingon platoon pretty much single-handedly while dual-wielding a phaser rifle and what looks like a vehicle-mounted beam weapon, turns the other cheek and lets Kirk beat on him to absolutely no effect, and shrugs off phaser stun shots and even the Vulcan neck pinch.
* This was done to Deianeira in the made-for-tv [[{{Series/Hercules}} Hercules movie]]. In classical myths, she was a human princess that was married to Hercules long after he finished his labors and [[DamselInDistress more famous for having to be saved from some horny centaur]]. In this movie, Deianeira is a [[ActionGirl ass-kicking wood nymph]] who doesn't require saving at all - on the contrary, she is the one who saves ''him'' a couple of times.
* ''Series/EmeraldCity'':
** Toto is a K9 police dog. It'd be strange if he weren't tougher.
** Lucas is now a young and strong warrior, unlike his counterpart the Scarecrow.
** The Munchkins rather than being gentle, non-violent farmers are a culture of fierce, hardy fighters called the Munja'kin.

* ''Series/TheWitcher2019'':
** Yennefer gets this overall. She’s a strong willed and magically powerful HotWitch in the books, but she still ends up as a DistressedDamsel a fair bit. As seen in the short story “The Bounds of Reason“ where she gets tied to a wagon [[ShamefulStrip topless]] by Reavers and has to be saved by Geralt. In the episode adapting the story, Yennefer fights the Reavers [[BackToBackBadasses back to back]] [[BattleCouple with Geralt]] armed with a dagger. Yennefer’s magical prowess is taken up a notch as well [[spoiler: as seen in the finale where she obliterates most of the Nilfgaardian army with major PlayingWithFire powers, something that didn’t happen in the books or games]].
** The Striga Geralt fights in the third episode. In the book, “The Last Wish” it’s the [[StarterVillain first monster]] Geralt fights and he easily deals with it by using his magic and his SuperSerum potion. The Striga only gravely wounds Geralt at the end, after turning back into a girl and biting his neck when he was off-guard. In the episode adaptation, the Striga gives Geralt a brutal fight, thrashing the hell out of him and forcing him to pull out every trick to overpower and trap it.
** Queen Calanthe. In the book she’s an AlmightyMum and powerful authority figure, but she still behaves like stereotypical royalty commanding others rather than doing anything herself. In the show however, she’s an outright [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Warrior Queen]] and BloodKnight who directly fights on the battlefield, racking up quite the body count and even matches her blade with Geralt’s.

* In one episode of the 1970s ''[[Series/TheHardyBoysNancyDrewMysteries Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries]],'' Nancy is depicted as being skilled in judo. She flips Frank to the floor when he attempts to remove her luggage from a hotel room they're fighting over. (Much to Nancy's surprise, however, this fails to intimidate Frank into backing off, because the hotel room was Frank and Joe's only lead to finding their missing father.) Whatever skills Nancy possessed in the books, a proficiency in any martial art was ''not'' one of them. There were far too many stories in which Nancy was overpowered, kidnapped, and tied up by the villains for that to be the case.
* Gypsy in the comics had the ability to turn intangible and wasn't much of a frontline combatant. Her debut in ''Series/TheFlash2014'' turns her into a [[ThinkingUpPortals breacher]] like Cisco as well as a universe hopping bounty hunter and certifiable badass.
* ''Series/DoomPatrol2019'':
** Negative Man zig-zags this a little bit; Larry doesn't have the sixty-second time limit he does in the comics, with the Negative Spirit being able to release for any period of time. But after the Bureau of Normalcy experiment on him, he then gets the limitations he had from the comics. [[spoiler: The finale plays it straight where he channels the Negative Spirit through his body ''without'' it leaving his body.]]
** Speaking of the Negative Spirit, it can do ''way'' more in the show than it can in the comics, with the implication that even Mr. Nobody can't stop it.
** Robotman is a downplayed example; his strength was rarely useful in the stranger iterations of the source material, but the addition of more grounded goons in the program gives Cliff more things he can effectively punch.
** Darren Jones is a much bigger threat in the show, thanks in part to being the head of the Bureau of Normalcy as opposed to a random civilian who attacked people with stolen goods.
** Beard Hunter downplays this; he is, for the most part, a complete joke, but his obsession with beards definitely didn't give him actual powers in the comics, and he was able to outmaneuver and emotionally devastate Cyborg in his first meeting with the Doom Patrol.
* ''Series/AlexRider'': Alex, in a way. Instead of being bullied into going undercover, he's just about decided to do it to find out who killed his uncle when the bullying starts. He also argues his way into joining the rescue mission back into Point Blanc, rather than being [[ReversePsychology tricked]] into going back.
* ''Series/TheBoys'':
** Starlight gets a great deal of this. In the [[ComicBook/TheBoys comic]] her main role in the story was getting [[BreakTheCutie victimized]] by [[SmugSuper The Seven]] and being a SatelliteLoveInterest to Hughie[[note]] and even that was an afterthought since Creator/GarthEnnis initally planned to have her commit suicide [[/note]], she also doesn't get involved in the main conflict and [[FauxActionGirl barely uses]] her LightEmUp powers. The show's Starlight is a ActionGirl proper, whom can take on other supes and saves Hugie's life, she even joins The Boys in their fight against Voight.
** Similarly Queen Mauve doesn't do much in the comic, either [[ReallyGetsAround sleeping around with loads of dudes]] or just sitting on her butt [[TheAlcoholic guzzling alcohol]]. Despite being an {{expy}} of Franchise/WonderWoman Mauve's strength is very much an InformedAbility [[spoiler: and the one time we see her fight against Homelander, she gets killed easily]]. The show's Mauve is super badass as [[PedestrianCrushesCar she destroys an armored van that rams into her]] and has the strength to overpower [[ShockAndAwe Stormfront]] who equaled [[BewareTheSuperman Homelander]].
** The Supes in general. In the comic none of them are ImmuneToBullets and can be easily killed by the military with MoreDakka as well as by [[BadassNormal Badass Normals]] with blunt instruments, which can be chalked up to Ennis's [[TakeThat dislike]] for costumed heros. In the show ''all'' the Supes have SuperToughness that reaches NighInvulnerability in the case of Homelander and to a lesser extent Stormfront, the titular Boys had to insert [[WhyAmITicking bomb inside]] one Super [[spoiler: Translucent]] to kill him. A lot them are also StrongAndSkilled, rather than just StrongButUnskilled like the comics.
* ''Series/BraveNewWorld'': Lenina was a much more shallow character in the books, only deviating mildly from social norms; here, she's fleshed out much more and grows actively defiant. Linda is also a lot stronger here and shows useful skills, whereas in the book she's [[TheLoad a weak, useless person]]. John, unlike his book counterpart, also successfully makes many New Londoners question their society and helps inspire a revolution. He's quick to use violence (or incite others) in contrast with his book counterpart too..
* ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'': In ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', Archie Andrews was well known as a scrawny klutz, and most of the other characters are regular people not known for getting into fights. Here, Archie is incredibly buff and strong, and he and several characters are well versed in hand to hand combat. Cheryl Blossom is highly trained in archery. Jughead gets it more than anyone else, joining a gang and eventually becoming its leader.

** The Boy aka Number Five: in the comics his only power was TimeTravel which as you can imagine has limited use in a fight. In the Netflix show Five's power is explicitly {{Teleportation}} which not only helps him travel through time like the comic but he also uses it to [[TeleportSpam lethal]] [[OneManArmy effect]] when attacked. Season 2 takes it even further as Five is able to [[TimeMaster rewind time by seconds]] [[spoiler: to save his family and himself from getting gun down by The Handler]] which is far more badass than anything Five does in the comics.

** Agatha Cackle and her cronies'' were quite easily defeated by Mildred casting a spell to turn them into snails. In the TV series, they manage to outwit her and reach the school, even succeeding in turning Miss Cackle into a frog. They return in the season 1 finale with another plan that comes quite close to succeeding.

** Eccarius in the comics is an insufferable poser who bases his whole personality on cheesy vampire fiction. [[spoiler:Cassidy kills him for being a murderous asshole]]. In the show, he still enjoys the trappings of gothic vampirism but has a sense of humor about it. He is also quite a bit more powerful than his comics version as well as Cassidy himself, [[spoiler:forcing Cassidy to enlist Les Enfants du Sanc to help bring him down]].

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** ''Series/LukeCage2016'': Diamondback in the original comics was a [[TokenMotivationalNemesis a very small-time villain that nonetheless had a big influence]] on Luke's past, his main gimmick was fighting with knives and he didn't get to live very long after his introduction, as he was accidentally killed by his own weapons. He is far deadlier in the tv show, being a dangerous mercenary/arms dealer that [[TheDreaded instills fear on everyone who knows his name]] including Cottonmouth. He is capable of [[QuickDraw killing several people in rapid succession]] and instead of knives, he uses a [[PowerFist powered glove]] that he can use it to kill people with just one hit, which he later upgrades to wearing a snake-themed PoweredArmor to fight against Luke hand-to-hand.
** ''Series/IronFist2017'': Harold Meachum was a broken and crippled old man who wanted nothing more than to be put out of his misery. In the series, he is younger, able-bodied and capable of fighting as well as [[spoiler:immortal as a result of striking up a deal with the Hand.]]