History Main / ImNotAHeroIm

* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** In the Fishman Island arc, none other than Luffy himself has one. Specifically, [[spoiler: Jimbei]] asks him to be the "hero" of Fishman Island, to which Luffy informs him that he's a pirate, not a hero, and has no desire to be one. Luffy then gives an analogy about how a hero would share his meat with everyone, while a pirate would simply feast on it. He ends up agreeing to help anyway when [[spoiler: Jimbei]] promises to give him some meat. [[StrangeMindsThinkAlike Zoro gives a similar analogy later, except with booze instead of meat.]]

* The catchphrase of Izumi Curtis, from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. Even though she's the one who trained the Elric brothers in martial arts and alchemy, she manages to make a BadassBoast out of declaring that she's (merely) a housewife. It gets subverted near the end of the Brotherhood anime when she gleefully exclaims she's an alchemist.
* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex''
** After his HeelFaceTurn, Accelerator rejects being called a hero, saying that a hero would be able to save the day without killing anybody.
** Touma also reacts in confusion to being called a hero, simply saying "[[ThinkNothingOfIt I just did what anyone would do]], right?"
** Mikoto in ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'' also denies being called a hero "like that idiot" (Touma), who is able to save everyone including the very villains he fights while she can barely keep her loved ones safe.
* In ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura'', Sakura protests that she can't be a Card Captor because she's JustAKid.
* In ''Manga/AkameGaKill'', when the naive and idealistic Tatsumi joins Night Raid, they are quick to inform him that they aren't heroes, they are assassins. Most of their targets just happen to be unpleasant people.
* In ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' Goku does this himself during a conversation with Android #17, remarking that he doesn't see himself as a hero, just [[BloodKnight a guy who loves fighting]]. He does admit that he can't ignore people in danger, which is the reason he fights the villains he does.

* In ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}'' Aiko "Anko" Tokosumi thinks "We're not heroes," in the middle of her arc, after someone [[spoiler:shoots and kills a kid who's pretending to be one of the pilots]], in revenge for the thousands of people who were killed in collateral damage in Zearth's previous battles. She even expects that she'll "die alone, hated and forgotten" once this is over. [[spoiler:That said, her appearance on TV, in which she makes an impassioned speech to the people of Earth, helps win many people over]].

* In the ''Comicbook/AvengersAcademy'' story "Final Exam", SmugSnake Jeremy Briggs [[TooDumbToLive continues bragging to Finesse about how he can always try again, while she's bandaging his wounds]]. She says he's right, and walks away, leaving Jeremy - whose entire thing had been that there were no such things as heroes and villains - protesting that she was a superhero and couldn't do this.
-->'''Finesse''': Remember why we were recruited to Avengers Academy? Not because we were the best, or the most heroic. Quite the opposite. Because we were the most at risk of becoming criminals. Say hello to the bad guy.

* In ''[[Film/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe]]'', upon learning of the [[BecauseDestinySaysSo prophecy]] that they shall be heroes, the Pevensies provide this little gem:
-->'''Peter''': I think you've made a mistake. [[RefusalOfTheCall We're]] ''[[RefusalOfTheCall not]]'' [[RefusalOfTheCall heroes!]]\\
'''Susan''': We're from Finchley!\\
''*Later, speaking to the lion who likely made that prophecy*''\\
'''Peter''': Aslan, I'm not who people think I am.\\
'''Aslan''': Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchley.
* The film version of ''Film/TheHobbit'' has Bilbo utter this particular gem:
-->'''Bilbo''': I'm not a hero, or a warrior... I'm not even a burglar!
* In the film, ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'', Edward uses this trope to warn Bella to stay away from him.
-->'''Edward''': What if I'm not the hero? What if I'm the bad guy?\\
'''Bella''': You're not.

* ''Film/PulpFiction'':
** Near the end, when Pumpkin and Honey Bunny are robbing the coffee shop, and the manager attempts to cooperate:
---> '''Pumpkin''': I don't know, Honey Bunny. He looks like the hero type to me!\\
'''Honey Bunny''': Don't take any chances. Execute him!\\
'''Manager''': Please don't! I'm not a hero. I'm just a coffee shop...[--manager--]...
** Naturally, his character according to the credits was "coffee shop."
** Of course, the robbers' definition of "hero" is "anyone stupid enough to make trouble for us." Criminals are funny like that.
** Also this monologue by Jules, sort of:
---> '''Jules''': There's a passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you." Now... I been sayin' that shit for years. And if you ever heard it, that meant your ass. You'd be dead right now. I never gave much thought to what it meant. I just thought it was a cold-blooded thing to say to a motherfucker before I popped a cap in his ass. But I saw some shit this mornin' made me think twice. See, now I'm thinking: maybe it means you're the evil man. And I'm the righteous man. And Mr. 9mm here... he's the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. And I'd like that. But that shit ain't the truth. [[HeelRealization The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men.]] But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.

%%* [[Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!]] [[WrongGenreSavvy Only the true Messiah denies his divinity!]]
* Variation in ''Film/TheKingsSpeech'': "I'm not a king! I'm a naval officer."
* In ''Film/{{Jumper}}'', Griffin spits this at Davy as he walks off to what Griffin believes to be certain death; in his experience, [[{{Teleportation}} Jumpers]] don't have the power to save anyone, as while the Paladins are ready, willing and able to kill entire families as collateral damage in killing Jumpers, all Jumpers can do is Jump away. The best Griffin's ever accomplished is escaping with his life after killing his enemies, and he's been ForcedToWatch everyone he's ever cared for die at the hands of the Paladins.
-->'''Griffin''': ''You're not a hero! You're a Jumper! Don't you get it? '''You don't save the girl! You lose her!'''''
* ''Film/JackReacher'': The title character makes it clear enough for even the slowest-witted villain:
-->'''Reacher''': "You think I'm a hero. I'm not a hero - I'm a drifter with nothing to lose. You killed that girl to put me in a frame-up, and I mean to beat you to death and drink your blood from a boot!"
* ''[[Franchise/DieHard Live Free Or Die Hard]]'': [=McClane=] thinks he isn't really a hero. He knows people call him one, but he doesn't really think it's worth it:
-->'''[=McClane=]''': You know what you get for being a hero? Nothin'. You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah, blah, blah, attaboy. You get divorced. Your wife can't remember your last name. Your kids don't want to talk to you. You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me, kid, nobody wants to be that guy.
-->'''Farrel''': Then why are you doing this?
-->'''[=McClane=]''': Because there's no one else to do it right now, that's why. Believe me, if there was somebody else, I'd let them do it, but there's not, so we're doing it.
-->'''Farrel''': That's what makes you "that guy".

* In ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'', Edward uses this trope as an attempt to warn Bella to stay away:
--> ''What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?''

%%* ''Mogworld'' by Creator/BenCroshaw, Jim's not a hero he's a protagonist.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** LovableCoward Rincewind is [[RefusalOfTheCall very clear]] he's not any kind of hero. No-one ever listens, and he usually finds himself doing heroic stuff against his will.
** Commander Vimes in ''Literature/GuardsGuards'':
--->And I'm not a hero. I'm out of condition, and [[INeedAFreakingDrink I need a drink]], and I get a handful of dollars a month without plumes allowance. That's not hero's pay. Heroes get [[StandardHeroReward kingdoms and princesses]], and they take regular exercise, and when they smile [[TwinkleSmile the light glints off their teeth]], ''[[AudibleGleam ting]]''. The bastards.
* In ''Literature/ThisImmortal'', Conrad's reaction when confronted with Diane's adoration towards his former identity Konstantin Karaghiosis is to reject it, although he later uses it to talk her into trusting him on whether someone else should live or be killed. It is also PlayedForLaughs when they check into a hotel in Athens only for Conrad to get the suite, a room famous for having been Konstantin Karaghiosis' headquarters during the [[LaResistance Radpol Rebellion]] -- pretty much everything in that room is adorned with a plaque commemorating the occasion:
--> "''The stain on this wall was caused by a bottle of beverage, hurled across the room by Konstantin Karaghiosis, in celebration of the bombing of Madagascar.\\
Believe that, if you want to.\\
Konstantin Karaghiosis sat in this chair'', insisted another.\\
I was really afraid to go into the bathroom."

** In the series 8 finale, Missy offers the Doctor an army with which to [[KnightTemplar conquer the universe for its own good]]. In response, he has a breakthrough and starts listing all the things he isn't - a good man, [[TakeAThirdOption a bad man]], a hero, a President, or an [[ArmchairMilitary officer]]. He's an idiot with a box, a screwdriver and some friends, same as ever.

* In the ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine DS9]]'' episode "Empok Nor", Garak (under the influence of drugs) has been twisting the knife about Miles O'Brien's participation in an incident which occurred while he was serving in the Federation-Cardassian war under Captain Maxwell; O'Brien led an attack on a Cardassian encampment and was dubbed "the Hero of Setlik III".
--> '''Garak''': Maybe it's true... maybe you're not a soldier anymore.\\
'''O'Brien''': You're right. I'm an engineer.
** [[spoiler:O'Brien then saves himself by activating the improvised bomb that his soldier instincts had called for and his engineering skill had built]].
** Li Nalas was hailed as a legend in the [[LaResistance Bajoran Resistance]] during the Occupation, with most people proclaiming him Bajor's greatest war hero. He confessed in private to Commander Sisko that he was no hero - he was just some dumb kid who got [[AccidentalHero stupidly lucky and managed to kill an infamous Cardassian leader while the man was bathing in a river]]. Sisko tells him how he became a hero doesn't matter, and that Bajor needed a larger-than-life figure at that point to avoid plunging into civil war.

** This gets amped up to eleven in the series 2 finale:

** And again in the series three finale:

* As [[WhoWantsToLiveForever Richard Alpert]] attempts to convince her to join "Mittelos Bioscience", [[Series/{{Lost}} Juliet Burke]], who is going through something of an emotional breakdown, tells him: "Whatever you think I am, I'm not. I'm not a leader, Mr. Alpert. I'm a mess."
* In the season 1 finale of ''Series/BurnNotice'' after blackmailing [[spoiler: the [[InsistentTerminology second-largest]] drug kingpin in Miami]] via a [[BatmanGambit "dead-man bomb"]], the [[spoiler: kingpin]] asks Michael who he is.
--> '''Michael''': I'm Michael Westen. I used to be a spy.
* In the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "Jaynestown", criminal/mercenary Jayne is considered a hero by the locals after dropping stolen money on them a few years before.[[spoiler: He only dropped it to lighten his damaged aircraft in order to escape capture... and he threw his partner out first.]] He has a change of heart about basking in their adoration:
--> '''Jayne''': You think somebody's gonna just drop money on you? Money they could use? Well, there ain't people like that... there's just people like me.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': When August [[spoiler:(Pinocchio)]] tries to convince [[TheChosenOne Emma]] that the [[IdentityAmnesia curse]] trapping Storybrooke is real, she {{refus|alOfTheCall}}es to believe it and says that if the town is relying on her, "[they're] all screwed."

* In the first season of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', Oliver is noticeably annoyed when Diggle tries to make him help random people outside of his crusade against the Undertaking. "You don't seem to understand what it is I do." In this case, it's not humility, it's simple facts. In season one, he really wasn't a hero, he was just a guy on a revenge kick who happened to be targeting criminals. It was only in season two that he reversed that trend.
* Used hilariously by Martin in the ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' episode "Bad Dog." After Frasier spends days trying to expose Bulldog for the fraud he is after accidentally preventing a gunman from harming people, Martin exposes him in a matter of seconds simply by shouting "Hey Bulldog, that man's got a gun!" in front of the crowd of people honoring him for his "heroic act", causing Bulldog [[DirtyCoward to use his own mother as a human shield]]. The crowd see through what happened before and turn on Bulldog. Upon which, Martin explains to Frasier:
--> '''Martin''': I'm not a hero, I just wanted you to shut up.
* The introductory exposition in ''[[Series/LegendsOfTomorrow Legends of Tomorrow]]'' uses this. Don't call them heroes... they're ''Legends''.
* Alex Trebek insisted on being called the ''host'' of ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'', not the star. He qualified that the stars of the show are the contestants and the game itself.

* For a series in which over 90% of the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters are veteran soldiers, ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' is amazingly pacifistic and permanently deconstructing the ideal of the 80s and 90s action hero. It's particularly emphasized in the first and fourth games of the main series when Solid Snake rebukes {{Ascended Fan|boy}}girl Meryl, who claims to have trained to become a soldier all her life because she was inspired by him.
--> '''Snake''': ''"I'm no hero. Never was, never will be. I'm just an old killer, [[ProfessionalKiller hired to do some wetwork]]."''
--> '''Snake''': ''"All the heroes I know are either dead or in prison. One or the other."''

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', when Wakka refers to Auron as a "legendary guardian," he replies "Legendary guardian? I was just a boy. A boy about your age, actually. I wanted to change the world, too. But I changed nothing. [[ThisIsMyStory That is my story.]]"

* The Master Chief from ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' finds himself saying similar things a lot, though this is less out of humility for his actions and more because he is uncomfortable with lots of attention.
* A typical Paragon Shepard from ''Franchise/MassEffect'', while seeing the importance of someone serving as a symbol to inspire, generally tries to downplay his/her heroics, feeling that s/he's just doing his/her job.
* In ''VideoGame/Fallout2'' it's ''Main/PlayedForLaughs'', as many other dialogue lines through the game. After finishing the main quest, many characters will treat you like a hero. If you speak with Father Tully, he'll praise your actions and you're given the choice of saying the following:
-->'''Chosen One''': Yes, I tangled with [[spoiler: the Enclave]]. They started it -- I finished it. But don't get me wrong, Father. I'm just a man, trying to make his way in this unforgiving world... I'm no hero.
* Brunwulf Free-Winter, [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim's]] resident non-racist Nord of Windhelm, is a veteran of the Great War against the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Aldmeri Dominion]] and often hailed as a war hero by those around him. He disagrees.
--> '''Brunwulf''': They call me a war hero. I'm no hero. Just a soldier who didn't want to die.

* Rean Schwarzer in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel III'' has repeatedly stated that he's no hero and he's just some random guy who teaches at a military academy. This despite having participated in the CivilWar in the second game and has genuine accomplishments on his belt. Part of this is because he's a HumbleHero but the bigger reason is that the EvilChancellor forces him to become [[TheEmpire Erebonia's]] national hero with all the burdens that it entails.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Ron's dad does this to the Mathter before a math-based brain battle in "[[Recap/KimPossibleS4E14MathterAndFervent Mathter and Fervent]]."
--> '''Mathter''': And what kind of hero are ''you''?\\
'''Mr. Stoppable''': I'm no hero. I'm ''Actuary of the Year''.

* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'': Look, Red, I'm no hero. I'm just a guy from Jersey.
* Elisa in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' (specifically in "High Noon") says she's no hero; she's just doing her job. Not that this stops her from fighting tooth and nail to save her friends when she ''isn't'' on the job...
* In ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'', Jackie would like nothing more than to do his job as an archaeologist and leave the heroism to the authorities.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheHairBearBunch'' episode "I'll Zoo You Later," the superintendent praises Peevly as a hero for corraling two bank robbers and the runaway Bunch. Peevly says it's simply "all in a day's work."
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', a Fantastic Four-ish group called the Terrific Trio goes insane and tries to set off a nuclear reactor. Terry tries to stop their leader by reminding him that he's supposed to be a ''hero''.
--> '''Magma''': No... I'm an ''accident''. Real heroes, they make a choice. [[StrawNihilist I never did.]]

--> '''Snake''': ''"All the heroes I know are either dead or in prison."''

* ''Fanfic/LostToDust'': Sakamoto Ryouma says he doesn't think of himself as a hero, just a guy who doesn't like to see people get killed.

* Hercules exhibits the "loss of confidence" variant by the book in Kingdom Hearts II.

I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles.\\

->''"I'm no hero. Never was, never will be. I'm just an old killer, hired to do some wetwork."''
-->-- '''Solid Snake''', ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots''

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12497471/1/Fire-Emblem-Heroes-Kiran-s-Story Fire Emblem Heroes: Kiran's Story]]'' Kiran constantly says this, considering his personality and some questionable methods he uses... he's right, he's an AntiHero of the pragmatic kind.

** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12497471/1/Fire-Emblem-Heroes-Kiran-s-Story Fire Emblem Heroes: Kiran's Story]]'' Kiran constantly says this, considering his personality and some questionable methods he uses... he's right, he's an AntiHero of the pragmatic kind.

* ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'': A justified self-depreciating example: as the titular city is plagued by fear over attacks caused by predators going savage, Judy, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone blames herself]] for triggering [[FantasticRacism anti-predator sentiments]] through [[InnocentBigot her comments on predator biology]] at a press conference, has this to say when she's offered to become the public face of the police in order to reassure the population:

** Commander Vimes in ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'':

* In the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'', Battlecat gave this speech to his ArchEnemy, Baron Samedi, right before dropping the villain from the roof of the Superdome.
-->'''Baron Samedi''': We both know you're not going to kill me. You're a hero.\\
'''Battlecat''': Not tonight. I'm not a hero tonight. I'm a husband. I'm a father. That's what I am tonight.\\
'''Baron Samedi''': No... wait! ''(Followed by a long drop and a sudden stop)''

* Variation in ''Film/TheKingsSpeech'': [[TearJerker "I'm not a king! I'm a naval officer."]]
* In ''Film/{{Jumper}}'', Griffin spits this at Davy as he walks off to what Griffin believes to be certain death; in his experience, [[TeleportersAndTransporters Jumpers]] don't have the power to save anyone, as while the Paladins are ready, willing and able to kill entire families as collateral damage in killing Jumpers, all Jumpers can do is Jump away. The best Griffin's ever accomplished is escaping with his life after killing his enemies, and he's been ForcedToWatch everyone he's ever cared for die at the hands of the Paladins.

* In ''VideoGame/MegamanZero 4'', Zero says this when BigBad Weil tries to invoke ThouShaltNotKill against the legendary Reploid hero (Which shows how little Weil actually knows about the resident AntiHero).
--> '''Zero''': I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero. I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it!

'''Ray Palmer''': (points to [[AffirmativeActionLegacy another Atom]]) ''He's'' a hero. I'm Ray Palmer. Welcome to ''[[ColdBloodedTorture pain.]]''

* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', after his HeelFaceTurn, Accelerator rejects being called a hero, saying that a hero would be able to save the day without killing anybody. Touma also reacts in confusion to being called a hero, simply saying "[[ThinkNothingOfIt I just did what anyone would do]], right?"

* In ''Film/ChristopherRobin'', the title character says this to [[Franchise/WinnieThePooh his childhood friend, Pooh]], after "rescuing" his friends from a Heffalump (which was an act on his part). Pooh calls him a hero for saving them all, but [[Main/ShellShockedVeteran Christopher]], [[Main/WarIsHell who has seen the horrors of World War II]], doesn't think of himself as one. [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Pooh still does]], and the two share [[Main/CryIntoChest a tearful embrace on their old hill.]]

** This doubles as a [[spoiler: SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, when O'Brien then saves himself by activating the improvised bomb that his soldier instincts had called for and his engineering skill had built]].

---> '''Sherlock''': [[PreMortemOneLiner Oh do your research. I'm not a hero. I'm]] [[InsistentTerminology a high functioning sociopath.]] [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Merry Christmas!]]

* Literature/TheBible. No, really. In the book of Amos. Both a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome and a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}}. (Note: Other translations have ''was'' instead of ''am'', averting this trope.)

* Kairi Niko in the ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' Fanfic ''Destiny's Pawn'' adamantly insists that she's "just a translator." Even after the Jedi all but shove a lightsaber into her hand, she's done some heroics looking for the Star Maps, and assembled the RagtagBandOfMisfits, she still considers herself Bastila's aide. Queue ''massive'' HeroicBSOD when the truth comes out...