History Main / HeroicBystander

** {{Daredevil}} fought [[PlayingWithFire Pyro]] and [[FatBastard the Blob]] to keep them from abducting a young mutant girl and forcing her to register with the U.S. government. After taking out Pyro, Daredevil attacked the Blob but was quickly knocked down. The Blob was about to stomp Daredevil when the girl he was trying to protect used her telekinetic powers to pull him out of the way. Daredevil then got the girl to use her powers to pull a large bell down from a nearby church, knocking the Blob out after Daredevil blinded him and then lured him under the steeple.

** Also appears in multiple in the original ''Spider-Man'' movie, when angry New Yorkers pelt the Green Goblin with junk, giving Spidey the chance to [[TakeAThirdOption save both his girlfriend and a trolley car full of]] {{Innocent Bystander}}s. When they try blocking Doctor Octopus in the second movie, though, [[FoeTossingCharge it doesn't work]]. Though by that point, they've already [[Heartwarming/{{Spider-Man}} rescued the unconscious Spider-Man from falling to his death]] and [[TearJerker given him back his mask, promising to keep his identity secret.]] And in any case, [[Awesome/{{Spider-Man}} it's the thought that counts]].

** Although he's not a bystander in ''Die Hard 3'' - he's a target. It's SamuelLJackson's Zeus who's the Heroic Bystander.

* In ''VantagePoint'', Forest Whitaker's character, Howard Lewis, is an classic Heroic Bystander, up to and including [[DivingSave pushing a kid out of the way of an tumbling car]].

* If Cole chooses the heroic path in ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'', the bystanders will gradually cheer him on until they start taking an active role in your defense of Empire City, hurling rocks at random mooks trying to take him down and providing a useful distraction. This is especially useful on the Dustmen who carry insulated riot shields, forcing them to turn sideways to block the pelting and offering you a critical opening to quickly take them down.

* Civilians in ''videogame/{{AssassinsCreed}}'' will occasionally grabs guards' arms and grapple with them, taking a little heat off the player and giving them a chance to dispatch the guard without resistance. Maybe this could be a reason so many Assassins wear the distinctive uniform: the people know who the good guys are when there's a swordfight in the street.

* Civilians in ''videogame/{{AssassinsCreed}}'' will occasionally grabs guards' arms and grapple with them, taking a little heat off the player and giving them a chance to dispatch the guard without resistance. Maybe this could be a reason so many Assassins wear the distinctive uniform: the people know who the good guys are.

This can be used as a device to show the growth of a character, such as having a [[DirtyCoward cowardly individual]] [[CowardlyLion show remarkable resolve in coming to someone's rescue]]. It can show how someone is transformed from a passive outsider, to someone who gets involved and tries to help others. Sometimes, it can be used to let a wimp have their day in the sun.

** Upon being attacked by three supervillains at once, MoonKnight manages to defeat two of them but is tied up by Coachwhip's electrical coils. Coachwhip is about to fry Moon Knight when a bystander sprays her with a hose, shorting out her equipment and knocking her out from the feedback.

** Also appears in multiple in the original ''Spider-Man'' movie, when angry New Yorkers pelt the Green Goblin with junk, giving Spidey the chance to [[TakeAThirdOption save both his girlfriend and a trolley car full of]] {{Innocent Bystander}}s. When they try blocking Doctor Octopus in the second movie, though, [[FoeTossingCharge it doesn't work]].
*** Though by that point, they've already [[Heartwarming/{{Spider-Man}} rescued the unconscious Spider-Man from falling to his death]] and [[TearJerker given him back his mask, promising to keep his identity secret.]] And in any case, [[Awesome/{{Spider-Man}} it's the thought that counts]].

*** Mary Jane [[DamselScrappy FINALLY]] gets to be one in ''Spider-Man III'', saving Spider-Man from Venom by throwing a cement block on him, allowing Spidey to break free of his grip.

See also IAmSpartacus, which sometimes uses this. If he's the protagonist, then he becomes an ActionSurvivor. Compare BadassBystander, CivilianPower, and HeroOfAnotherStory.

* ''AstroCity'' once highlighted the story of Pete Donacek, a former hockey player and a doorman at an Astro City hotel. He once saved a little girl's life during a giant robot attack. He sees her every day, doesn't even know her name, but knowing that he did that kind of thing for someone, that he went to Astro City and lived the dream of being a real hero... As he puts it, "My name is Pete Donacek. I live in Astro City. [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming I wear a uniform too.]]"

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* In Logan, Utah 21-year-old Brandon Wright crashed his motorcycle into a car and ended up wedged underneath it. The motorcycle's fuel tank started leaking fuel and it caught on fire. A group of bystanders [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gys2daNMP8 lifted the car off him and dragged him to safety.]]

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' has Airman Higgs.
** Technically, Airman Higgs was just doing his job, though no-one ever really expected him to be so good at it. If you want a real example of this from Girl Genius, Lars is probably the closest seen so far.
*** The in-setting description of his actions reads vaguely like a Medal of Honor citation, though with less enemy fire and more "wow this guy just would not quit trying to save his boss's life."
** This trope almost certainly no longer applies: further revelations about Higgs suggest that he is either a BadassAbnormal and/or CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass.