History Main / PrideBeforeAFall

* [[https://youtu.be/-Ccj493kUaE?si=UGWqF1E6ZdeC3t0L One promo from this segment]] on ''Raw'' has Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Kane}} paraphrase the Bible verse that names the trope while addressing Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels before their match at the Crown Jewel PPV.

* [[https://youtu.be/-Ccj493kUaE?si=UGWqF1E6ZdeC3t0L One promo from this segment]] has Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Kane}} paraphrase the Bible verse that names the trope while addressing Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels before their match at the Crown Jewel PPV.

* [[https://youtu.be/-Ccj493kUaE?si=UGWqF1E6ZdeC3t0L One promo from this segment]] has Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Kane}} paraphrase the Bible verse that names the trope while addressing Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels.

* In ''ComicBook/ThePowerpuffGirls'' story "Smart And Smarter" (Cartoon Network Block Party #59, DC), Blossom lets admittance to a school for especially smart children go to her head to the point that she not only alienates her sisters but also arch-foe Mojo Jojo. During a face-to-face battle, Mojo cuts [[BreakTheHaughty Blossom down to size]], with Bubbles and Buttercup's blessings.

* [[Literature/AesopsFables "The Tortoise and the Hare"]]'s eponymous hare. He's so confident in his victory that he decides to take a nap partway through the race, but when he wakes up, he sees that the tortoise has already won.

* In ''ComicBook/WhiteSand'', this is what happens to Sand Masters as a whole - they've grown so prideful and haughty, they've stopped caring about other people's opinions and figured they're too powerful to ever be attacked, so they've stopped training for combat as well. Cue being invaded by an army and slaughtered almost to a man.

* Stephen Chow's character in ''Film/GodOfCookery''. When he starts to regain his former glory halfway through the film, he begins to revert to his haughty attitude, until tragedy forces him to reevaluate his priorities.

* ''Series/TheHexer'': Witchers get this treatment from the first episode, considering themselves to be unshakeable and the best thing ever, despite ongoing corruption and power-plays hollowing their school inside-out. The kicker? Barely any of them learn the lesson, being all just designed for killing and not thinking too much. This ultimately leads to much slower and painful BreakTheHaughty for the whole guild in following years, until they eventually collapse.
* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl''. A petty criminal with no respect for authority has a lottery ticket. He loses his ticket and undertakes to reform himself. When he starts, the ticket returns to him, and he sees it as a sign that he's meant to use the money to keep trying.

* This one goes [[OlderThanDirt all the way back to the oldest times]]: ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'' starts with Gilgamesh, one of the most arrogant kings ever to live, getting brought down by Enkidu and [[DefeatMeansFriendship subsequently becoming friends with him]].

* This one goes all the way back to the oldest times: ''Myth/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'' starts with Gilgamesh, one of the most arrogant kings ever to live, getting brought down by Enkidu and [[DefeatMeansFriendship subsequently becoming friends with him]].

[[folder:Religion]]

* In ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Picard's pride in Starfleet and what they can handle leads Q to send the ''Enterprise''-D into Borg Space. Despite Guinian warning him to turn right back around, Picard marches forth and leads to 18 members of the crew getting captured and assimilated by the Borg before Picard begs Q to get them out of there.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

** This is part of the BackStory for the humans, who after winning a war with the Dilgar refuse to listen to cautionary advice given to them by the Centauri, and proceed to boldly stumble into a war with the Minbari because they were too proud to just leave the Minbari alone. This is complicated by the Minbari warrior caste's blind assumption that a race they had never met would be familiar with a Warrior Caste greeting tradition[[note]]That is, approaching the unknown ship with their gunports open[[/note]], that even their own religious leader had to have explained to him. This is ''further'' complicated by said Minbari religious leader making the unilateral decision to take his ship, with the Minbari's governing body, on an ill-advised expedition to Z'Ha'Dum, the homeworld of the long-dormant [[BigBad Shadows]], on a whim, just to see if they were back yet. If any of these parties had swallowed their pride enough to actually listen to anyone else before acting, the disastrous Earth-Minbari War would have been avoided. Of course, then the Babylon Project would have never happened either...

** In "The Daleks' Master Plan", a council of galactic leaders delude themselves into thinking the Daleks will give them power. This is most pronounced with [[PresidentEvil Guardian]] Mavic Chen of the Solar System, who actually orders the Daleks around. [[spoiler:Those others on the council who survive are able to warn their galaxies when the Daleks turn on them, but Chen is exterminated, his LastWords being "You cannot kill me!".]]
** In "The Invasion", CorruptCorporateExecutive Tobias Vaughn thinks he can play the Cybermen for patsies. [[spoiler:He soon realizes he is OutGambitted, and [[RedemptionEqualsDeath is deleted trying to stop them]].]] Interestingly, both Vaughn and Chen were played by the same actor.

* Dominar Rygel XVI of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' definitely qualifies as a slow learner - despite having been deposed and imprisoned some 130 "cycles" before the events of the series, he's still an [[JerkAss arrogant bastard]] when Crichton arrives. It takes most of the show's run for him to work his way to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold something more tolerable]].

* On an episode of ''Series/TheWestWing'', Josh attempts to run a press conference while CJ is out. Danny Kincannon warns him not to go up, and in response Josh rubs his [[IvyLeagueForEveryone Harvard and Yale background]] in his face. Josh then proceeds to get blindsided on two different fronts and become the White House's goat for the day.
* ''Series/TheWheelOfTime'': In episode 7 Agelmar, the ruler of Fal Dara, reacts to Moiraine rather harshly when he thinks the Aes Sedai sent help without him asking. His kingdom has survived long enough without outside assistance. In episode 8, after seeing the size of Trolloc army, he admits he should've called for help. [[spoiler:His city survives, but he does not.]]

** The movie ''[[Recap/BabylonFiveFilm02Thirdspace Thirdspace]]'' reveals that even the Vorlons fell victim to their pride.

May overlap with FallenPrincess and TragicHero. Compare with TheAtoner (who is necessarily repentant by definition), BreakTheHaughty (for a slower descent), ATasteOfPower (for when this happens in video games), and ThirdActStupidity (when near the end of a story). Compare JerkToNiceGuyPlot.

* ''Literature/TheTrialsOfApollo'' begins with the prideful [[JerkassGods Greco-Roman god]] Apollo being turned mortal and cast from Olympus. The rest of the series revolves around him experiencing a JerkToNiceGuyPlot to regain his godhood.

* ''Series/TheHexer'': Witchers get this treatment from the first episode. The kicker? Barely any of them learns the lesson, being all just designed for killing and not thinking too much. This ultimately leads to much slower and painful BreakTheHaughty for the whole guild in following years, until they eventually collapse.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* The Fort Severn arc of ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'' has Garrod decline an upgrade to the Gundam because he thinks its WaveMotionGun makes him unbeatable. Then he runs into Carris Nautilus, a TykeBomb with PsychicPowers, who becomes the first person in the series to hand Garrod a ''resounding'' defeat. The next few episodes have a humbled Garrod get very serious about learning to pilot the Gundam without relying solely on its signature weapon.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** A version of this happens to Frieza after he's rebuilt into a cyborg. He goes to Earth, stronger than ever with his dad, ready to seek vengeance against Goku for his defeat on Namek. Not even five minutes after landed on Earth, he's cut to pieces by Trunks and unceremoniously blasted to hell.
** Android 20, better known as Dr. Gero. He makes his grand entrance by putting a hole through Yamcha and nuking half of a city. He is sure that thanks to his data on all of Earth's great fighters that he and Android 19 are more than strong enough to kill Goku and the others. While Android 19 did almost manage to kill Goku in their battle, it was because he was sick, and as soon as the healthy Vegeta arrived, saved Goku and turned Super Saiyan, Android 19 was quickly defeated by him. Then, Android 20 was completely outmatched against Piccolo, even after he drained some of his energy. He's reduced to retreating and activating Androids 17 and 18, who kill him.
** Not long after Super Buu becomes nearly invincible after absorbing Gohan, he had to fight the newly-fused Vegetto. It didn't end well for Buu.
** Happens ''every'' time Vegeta gets a huge power boost. He goes to Namek, stronger than ever after his fight on Earth, and gets nearly killed by a transformed Zarbon. After he got a boost from that battle, the Ginyu Force comes and wipe the floor with him. Then again, he gets a major power-up to fight Frieza and he gets easily murdered. His luck doesn't improve in the Cell or Buu Sagas. By the end of the series, he finally became more humble.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': The main character Lelouch Vi Britannia is a walking, talking definition of pride, thinking that no one can defeat him and that he is infallible. That kind of attitude ends up biting him in the ass hard. Twice, in fact. The first happens in episode 7, where he challenges his half-sister Cornelia in a skirmish but makes the mistake of [[UnderestimatingBadassery underestimating her]] just because he defeated their half-brother Clovis very easily. Because of that, he gets his ass handed to him and experiences defeat for the first time (which, as expected, [[SoreLoser he takes badly]]); the only reason he escapes is because C.C bails him out. The second time happens near the end of season one and it's even worse as the consequences this time prove earth-shattering; Lelouch unwittingly causes a horrible accident that results in him being forced to kill someone very close to him, the attack on Tokyo and his decision to leave in the middle of said battle to save his beloved sister who was kidnapped, ends with his army destroyed and his rebellion a total failure and Lelouch himself sold out to his father the Emperor by someone he thought was his friend. All that because of his hubris, arrogance and pride.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** In the manga and ''Brotherhood'' anime, the homunculus [[SmugSnake Pride]] [[spoiler:is reduced to a lilliputian-size infant, right after a CurbStompBattle and a panicked attempt at GrandTheftMe of the main character. [[MadBomber Kimblee]] even lampshades that Pride has essentially cast aside his own pride as a homunculus]].
** In the first anime adaptation, Pride is a different character, but still fits the bill. He fights his final battle all by himself because he doesn't want to let anyone else in on it and still completely curb-stomps his opposition, but he inadvertently [[spoiler:makes his foster son believe he wanted his 'secret treasure' to fight at his fullest. The 'secret treasure' turns out to be the skull of the man he used to be, and when his foster son brings it to him just as he's winning it paralyses him and lets his opponent kill him.]]
* In ''Anime/MyOtome'', newly crowned Queen Mashiro is more concerned about her birthday celebration and rebuilding her castle than about the lives of the commoners. This changes when Nagi's plan results in him controlling Windbloom and forcing her into exile with the poor people of her country, where she hears of their suffering and watches as [[spoiler:they corner her maid Aoi and cause her to fall off a cliff when she refuses to tell them where Mashiro is, mainly because of her having served the Queen]].
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Pain has Naruto pinned down and impaled with six chakra draining rods to prevent movement. Instead of simply capturing him right then and there, he [[spoiler:stabs Hinata in a way that would make her bleed out quickly without immediate medical attention]], which angers Naruto enough to bring out Kyuubi. Turns out those chakra draining rods are no match for six tails of the Kyuubi's power, and his trump card is no match for eight tails. Pain snatches defeat, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath but also some redemption]], from the jaws of victory because of nothing but his ego.
** [[spoiler:The same can be said of his annihilation of the Hidden Leaf Village shortly beforehand]]. Despite having already won the battle and gotten what he wanted (the location of the Kyuubi jinchuriki), Pain insists on [[spoiler: physically destroying the entire village before leaving]], expending significant chakra to do so and severely straining himself. It's entirely possible that, had he not been weakened by this effort, he might have been strong enough to succeed in his capture of the Kyuubi. And it's particularly notable considering that, up until this point, despite his repeated declarations of godhood, Pain had demonstrated a very realistic evaluation of his own abilities, putting careful thought into his strategies and averting ExplainingYourPowersToTheEnemy to great effect. In both the above instances, he did what he did to make others [[CatchPhrase know pain]], showing how [[MeaningfulName important]] that motivation is to him.
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', the Big Mom Pirates are so used to putting down any rookies that enter their territory that they feel the it won't be that different with the Straw Hats, and write them off on vague reports. Naturally, the Straw Hats' counterattack knocks the Big Mom Pirates flatfooted, and things go FromBadToWorse from there, from Big Mom's palace collapsing and the Sea Slug they monitor the ocean with going missing. Mort d'Or insists those last two are a coincidence, but Baron Tamago points out that ever since the Straw Hats arrived, there have been lots of coincidences, and warns that "An arrogant king loses his crown."
* ''Anime/OutlawStar'': The opening narration of Aisha's introductory episode lampshades how her excessive pride eventually lead to her being demoted from Interplanetary Petentiary, to a mere field officer. She spends the remainder of the series being [[HowTheMightyHaveFallen forced to work minimum wage jobs]], while hitchhiking across the galaxy 'til she finally tracks down the crew of the Outlaw Star.
* Reoccuring theme used in ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''. If a main character is being excessively prideful or vain, 9 times out of 10 they're going to suffer a [[TheWorfEffect Worf Effect]] to the trainer of the day.
* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'':
** Hyoutei's Shishido is introduced as a cocky, conceited, over-confident jerk who makes snide comments about a player underestimating his opponent... only to get his ass handed to him in his next match against Fudoumine's captain, Tachibana Kippei. Since at the time Hyoutei regulars were not allowed to lose, he is immediately off the team. However, Shishido [[CharacterDevelopment learns from the experience]] and after TrainingFromHell ''and'' an ImportantHaircut he earns back his spot on the team.
** Also, Ryoma in the anime goes through another of these. [[spoiler: He behaves uninterested and apathetic towards [[{{Tykebomb}} Kevin Smith]] until he sees him play, then pretty much ''demands'' to be included in the line-up of the Senbatsu team. Tezuka [[WhatTheHellHero does]] ''[[WhatTheHellHero NOT]]'' [[WhatTheHellHero take this kindly]] and promptly [[ArmorPiercingSlap bitchslaps]] Ryoma in front of others, since his selfishness sounded extremely out of place for someone supposed to become a future leader in Seigaku. Ryoma has to go into a PoseOfSupplication to regain Tezuka's favor and be even ''considered'' as a reserve player.]] Due to ValuesDissonance (teamwork vs. stardom, Japanese mentality vs. Western views), the episode is often derided by fans.
* In ''{{Manga/Saki}}'', this happens to a few mahjong players.
** Kazue, an anime-only character, enters the indiviudal tournament and not her school one because she doesn't want weak players to drag her down. She ranks relatively high, but doesn't advance onward.
** Although Izumi of Senriyama doesn't go around flaunting her skill, she thinks she's the strongest player among all first years (not entirely unreasonable, since she managed the unprecedented feat of getting onto the team as a first year). However, in the semifinals, she goes up against three third-year students, and ends up getting last place and losing over 30,000 points. Her teammate [[InSeriesNickname FunaQ]] doesn't mince words when saying Izumi not only is at a disadvantage against the third-years, but also isn't in the same league as the main character.
** Awai of Shiraitodai is incredibly arrogant, considering her teammates' losing enough points to drop her school from an overwhelming first place lead to second as a mere handicap for her. However, she doesn't do quite as well as she expects, and ends up having to desperately seize second place to ensure her school remains in the competition.
** From ''Manga/SakiShinohayuDawnOfAge'', Kanna Ishitobi is undefeated at every game she's played until she branches off into mahjong; while she manages to reach the final round of the tournament, she loses to a young Hayari Mizuhara (who, in the present story, is a professional player), and while practicing for her rematch, loses to her friend Kyouka, despite Kyouka being just as inexperienced.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': Sugou Nobuyuki/Oberon is introduced as an arrogant, self-assured creep, declaring himself the god of ALO and rubbing in Kirito's face that there's nothing he can do to stop him. This culminates in him pinning Kirito down and making him watch as he molests Asuna just to rub in how powerless he is rather than just finish him off and be done with it... which allows Kayaba to grant Kirito access to his admin ID, which outranks Sugou's own, and allows Kirito to finally [[LaserGuidedKarma put Sugou in his place]]. For his ego, Sugou lost ''everything'' and landed himself in prison.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In the epilogue of ''[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-chronicles-of-tanya-the-holy-youjo-senki-warcraft.780787/ The Chronicles of Tanya the Holy]]'', it's mentioned that the Horde and Night Elves eventually went to war over resources and the Horde absolutely crushed the Night Elves, partially due to the latter's refusal to call upon their numerous allies even when they were obviously losing.
* This trope is commonly found in many [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Prince Hans]] redemption fanfics. Because he tried to kill Anna and Elsa in a selfish bid to become the king of Arendelle, he's sent back to Arendelle to be an unpaid servant for the sisters. He starts out grouchy about this initially, but eventually [[HeelRealization mellows out]] after [[JerkToNiceGuyPlot a long lesson]] on how being selfish made him an enemy of the sisters. Sometimes, the sisters and Kristoff will give a lengthy KirkSummation to him, with his standard response being a lame IDidWhatIHadToDo excuse. It takes an adventure for Hans to realize how being deceptive and greedy made him an enemy of the sisters, that LoveRedeems, and that he should enjoy life rather than just being obsessed with power in general.
* ''Fanfic/FailureToExplode'': Katsuki is so absolutely certain that he's going to get into U.A.'s Hero Course that he doesn't bother making ''any'' backup plans. He doesn't even apply to Gen Ed or any of the other programs U.A. offers; as far as he's concerned, it's the Hero Course or nothing! ...And nothing it is, thanks to his failure to earn even a ''single'' [[SecretTestOfCharacter Rescue Point]] during the exam. With nothing to fall back upon, he finds himself forced to enroll in Aldera High, facing a significantly harsher atmosphere after Aldera's bid to ride his coattails to success failed so completely.
* ''Fanfic/SonOfTheSannin'':
** This is what caused the downfall of Uzushiogakure. During the Second War, the leader of the village, Kuniotoko Uzumaki, took advantage of a dispute between Kumo and Kiri, declared himself Uzukage, and tried invading Kiri to replace it as a Great Village, despite Konoha's warnings. The act was so egregious and insulting that Kumo and Kiri [[EnemyMine buried the hatchet]] and not only repelled the invasion, but counter-invaded Uzushio and crushed it to the last man.
** Konan suggests that this happened to Hanzo as well. He was able to defeat the three Sannin together during his prime, but not being on the battlefield for years caused his abilities to rust, and he coasted on his fearsome reputation to remain as Amegakure's leader until Pain killed him off.
** Suzumebachi reminds her brothers that their clan's fall from grace was caused by pride, so she's willing to swallow it as much as it takes to restore it to its former glory.
* ''[[Fanfic/ThinkBeforeYouSpeakMHA Think Before You Speak]]'': During the Heroes vs. Villains exercise, Katsuki [[EvilGloating gloated about]] how much his gauntlets enhanced his powers, then ignored All Might's frantic orders to stand down, declaring that his target "won't die if he dodges!" When this results in [[ForWantOfANail Tenya being seriously injured]], Katsuki finds himself facing serious punishment, as he's forced to take lessons about control, regulations, and other vital topics while attending detention, and is barred from participating in the Sports Festival that year. On top of all that, he becomes a social pariah, with his classmates and other peers avoiding him.
* Occurs thrice in ''Fanfic/AYoungWomansPoliticalRecord'', though one instance is only an omake.
** Albion prides itself on having the best football teams in the world. During their first match at the World Cup, they lose 5-4 and at halftime had been losing ''4-1'', because they were so confident of their victory that they went pub-crawling the night before the game and had to play the game while hung over.
** The Parisee chief of police sees the Francois Republic's swift defeat by Germania[[note]]Within two weeks of declaring war on Germania, Parisee had a line of Germanian tanks driving down their streets with Tanya standing atop one of them[[/note]] this way, declaring that God was punishing them for their hubris.
** In the Albish Foreign Policy omake where Albion goes to war against Germania, the higher-ups in both the Albish military and government are confident that the Germanian military "can't scratch their navy". Their first battle against Germania results in losing all but one in five battleships and half a carrier of their Grand Fleet, while only taking out two destroyers and a handful of aircraft due to Germania's advanced submarines.
[[/folder]]

* Humpty Dumpty in '''''Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice found there''''', Lewis Carroll's 1871 sequel to ''[[Literature/AliceInWonderland Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]''. Martin Gardner, in his [[TheAnnotatedEdition The Annotated Alice]], points out Humpty Dumpty's frequent use of the word "proud", lampshading the pride that goes before his fall.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreed'' series begins with one of these, as Altair - TheDragon for the head of the Assassin's guild - is cast down from his lofty position and has to start over as a low-ranked rookie.
* King Trode in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII''. He's an annoying, overproud king who's awfully fond of the line, "Do you know who I AM?" Just before the beginning of the game, he is transformed into a toad-like creature, and his kingdom is laid in ruins, leaving him to wander a world where most humans fear or despise him as a monster. Depressingly, he never seems to learn humility.
** Then again, he was transformed and his kingdom was devastated because of an OmnicidalManiac, not because of him. So why would he need to?
*** Considering said maniac was really [[spoiler:using]] [[MonsterClown Trode's court jester]] [[spoiler:as a temporary vessel]] [[WhosLaughingNow on a mission of revenge against those who had belittled him]], there probably should have been a lesson in there somewhere.
*** He ''does'' eventually come to understand that simply being a king doesn't entitle him to order everyone around. Sure, he does it ''anyway'', but later in the game, there's a distinct shift from "Do it because I tell you" to "Please help me do this".
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarII''. In the first level, Kratos is in his full God of War glory, but it ends with him drained of his godly power and killed by Zeus. Unfortunately for...well, everyone, Zeus forgot that when you're dealing with Kratos, it doesn't matter how 'right' you are or how 'wrong' he is: 'petulant' doesn't begin to describe the man. This turn of events unravels what little sanity Kratos had remaining, and he goes on a deicidal temper tantrum that leaves the world a flooded, darkened, zombie-infested hellhole.
* ''[[VideoGame/KingdomRush Kingdom Rush: Vengeance]]'' has Gerald Lightseeker in the Lightseeker Camp level. Within the span of the level, he starts out boasting about how he's a OneManArmy but refuses to fight because he feels his men can "deal with you one-handed", to having his Linirean forces beaten by [[VillainProtagonist your Dark Army]] which forces him to fight you directly. By then, your defences have become strong enough to defeat him. His final action before being captured by [[BigBad Vez'nan]] and the dark army is to plead "Could I keep my honor?" while kneeling down, injured.
* Marietta in ''VideoGame/KnightsInTheNightmare'', at least in Maria's route; happily enough, Maria is ''mortified'' at what Marietta's pride led to, and [[spoiler:the other half of Marietta's soul]], Melissa, is more worried about finding Ancardia than her dignity. We're introduced to Marietta's usual [[GoodIsNotNice nasty attitude]] in ''VideoGame/YggdraUnion'' [[spoiler:and ''VideoGame/RivieraThePromisedLand'']], along with [[BreakTheHaughty Meria's route]]. (And for [[SociopathicHero all her flaws]], Meria's own pride doesn't stop her from being a loyal and caring individual. Marietta's still does.)
* Revali, the [[BirdPeople Rito]] Champion from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild''. The first thing you find out about him is that he and the other Champions were swiftly killed and their respective Divine Beasts possessed when [[BigBad Calamity Ganon]] returned to Hyrule. When Link subsequently recovers his memories, Revali is revealed to have been a smug, vainglorious guy who was openly disdainful of relative newcomer Link being the primary Champion -- he went so far as to "challenge" Link to a test of skill atop [[GiantFlyer Vah Medoh]] just to rub in the latter's inability to fly. It takes being [[SealedGoodInACan trapped as a ghost inside Vah Medoh]] for a century and being freed by Link for Revali to finally acknowledge that the Hylian is worthy of being TheChosenOne.
* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', after the takedown of [[HackerCollective Medjed]], the Phantom Thieves are feeling very proud of their abilities and of the immense public support they are receiving. [[spoiler:In their very next heist, they are framed for the murder of Okumura as well as all of the Mental Shutdowns that have been plaguing the town for years.]]
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'': BigBad Carla Radames, Ada Wong's [[CloneByConversion reluctant]] {{Doppelganger}}, suffers from this. Her EvilPlan is going off without a hitch, but then she calls up the real Ada to gloat about what she's doing and how Ada will [[{{Frameup}} take the fall]] for it. Ada's subsequent intervention is the very thing that ruins Carla's [[NearVillainVictory otherwise flawless plan]].
* Warlord Asura, the final warlord [[TheHero Sinjid]] is tasked with killing in ''VideoGame/{{Sinjid}}''. Due to Sinjid dispatching his troops and the other warlords before going after him, Asura only has one remaining ally left in the form of a mysterious man named Kazuro, who abandons him after explaining that he's grown tired of him constantly turning his help away because he was too overconfident in his fighting abilities. Having lost his last remaining ally, he is forced to fight Sinjid on his own, and is killed in combat, ending the war.
* The first quarter of the ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. The main character finds out the hard way that being rich does not make you right all the time -- it's only when he stops relying on his family's reputation (among other things) that he becomes useful.
* Clearly "inspired" by ''The Emperor's New Groove'', Dragon Prince Ao-Jun of ''VideoGame/{{Tradewinds}} Caravans'' is turned into a lowly talking camel as punishment for a life of debauchery and caravan-eating, and must do one truly selfless deed to regain his true form. It goes about as well as you might think, and he briefly becomes an invisible lowly talking camel after denouncing his faith (of which he is a deity) to tithe a ridiculous sum of someone else's money to heathens because it was just the easiest thing he could think of.
* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', one of the random battle victory conversations has Rex gloating about how nothing can stop him now, with Azurda [[InvokedTrope reminding him of this trope]].
[[/folder]]

* ''Anime/OutlawStar'': The opening narration of Aisha's introductory episode lampshades how her excessive pride eventually lead to her being demoted from Interplanetary Petentiary, to a mere field officer. She spends the remainder of the series being [[HowTheMightyHaveFallen forced to work minimum wage jobs]], while hitchhiking across the galaxy 'til she finally tracks down the crew of the Outlaw Star.
* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'':
** Hyoutei's Shishido is introduced as a cocky, conceited, over-confident jerk who makes snide comments about a player underestimating his opponent... only to get his ass handed to him in his next match against Fudoumine's captain, Tachibana Kippei. Since at the time Hyoutei regulars were not allowed to lose, he is immediately off the team. However, Shishido [[CharacterDevelopment learns from the experience]] and after TrainingFromHell ''and'' an ImportantHaircut he earns back his spot on the team.
** Also, Ryoma in the anime goes through another of these. [[spoiler: He behaves uninterested and apathetic towards [[{{Tykebomb}} Kevin Smith]] until he sees him play, then pretty much ''demands'' to be included in the line-up of the Senbatsu team. Tezuka [[WhatTheHellHero does]] ''[[WhatTheHellHero NOT]]'' [[WhatTheHellHero take this kindly]] and promptly [[ArmorPiercingSlap bitchslaps]] Ryoma in front of others, since his selfishness sounded extremely out of place for someone supposed to become a future leader in Seigaku. Ryoma has to go into a PoseOfSupplication to regain Tezuka's favor and be even ''considered'' as a reserve player.]] Due to ValuesDissonance (teamwork vs. stardom, Japanese mentality vs. Western views), the episode is often derided by fans.

** Pain has Naruto pinned down and impaled with six chakra draining rods to prevent movement. Instead of simply capturing him right then and there, he [[spoiler: stabs Hinata in a way that would make her bleed out quickly without immediate medical attention]], which angers Naruto enough to bring out Kyuubi. Turns out those chakra draining rods are no match for six tails of the Kyuubi's power, and his trump card is no match for eight tails. Pain snatches defeat, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath but also some redemption]], from the jaws of victory because of nothing but his ego.

* In ''Anime/MyOtome'', newly crowned Queen Mashiro is more concerned about her birthday celebration and rebuilding her castle than about the lives of the commoners. This changes when Nagi's plan results in him controlling Windbloom and forcing her into exile with the poor people of her country, where she hears of their suffering and watches as [[spoiler:they corner her maid Aoi and cause her to fall off a cliff when she refuses to tell them where Mashiro is, mainly because of her having served the Queen]].

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** A version of this happens to Frieza after he's rebuilt into a cyborg. He goes to Earth, stronger than ever with his dad, ready to seek vengeance against Goku for his defeat on Namek. Not even five minutes after landed on Earth, he's cut to pieces by Trunks and unceremoniously blasted to hell.
** Android 20, better known as Dr. Gero. He makes his grand entrance by putting a hole through Yamcha and nuking half of a city. He is sure that thanks to his data on all of Earth's great fighters that he and Android 19 are more than strong enough to kill Goku and the others. While Android 19 did almost manage to kill Goku in their battle, it was because he was sick, and as soon as the healthy Vegeta arrived, saved Goku and turned Super Saiyan, Android 19 was quickly defeated by him. Then, Android 20 was completely outmatched against Piccolo, even after he drained some of his energy. He's reduced to retreating and activating Androids 17 and 18, who kill him.
** Not long after Super Buu becomes nearly invincible after absorbing Gohan, he had to fight the newly-fused Vegetto. It didn't end well for Buu.
** Happens ''every'' time Vegeta gets a huge power boost. He goes to Namek, stronger than ever after his fight on Earth, and gets nearly killed by a transformed Zarbon. After he got a boost from that battle, the Ginyu Force comes and wipe the floor with him. Then again, he gets a major power-up to fight Frieza and he gets easily murdered. His luck doesn't improve in the Cell or Buu Sagas. By the end of the series, he finally became more humble.
* The Fort Severn arc of ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'' has Garrod decline an upgrade to the Gundam because he thinks its WaveMotionGun makes him unbeatable. Then he runs into Carris Nautilus, a TykeBomb with PsychicPowers, who becomes the first person in the series to hand Garrod a ''resounding'' defeat. The next few episodes have a humbled Garrod get very serious about learning to pilot the Gundam without relying solely on its signature weapon.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', the Big Mom Pirates are so used to putting down any rookies that enter their territory that they feel the it won't be that different with the Straw Hats, and write them off on vague reports. Naturally, the Straw Hats' counterattack knocks the Big Mom Pirates flatfooted, and things go FromBadToWorse from there, from Big Mom's palace collapsing and the Sea Slug they monitor the ocean with going missing. Mort d'Or insists those last two are a coincidence, but Baron Tamago points out that ever since the Straw Hats arrived, there have been lots of coincidences, and warns that "An arrogant king loses his crown."

* In ''ComicBook/ThePowerpuffGirls'' story "Smart And Smarter" (Cartoon Network Block Party #59, DC), Blossom lets admittance to a school for especially smart children go to her head to the point that she not only alienates her sisters but also arch-foe Mojo Jojo. During a face-to-face battle, Mojo cuts [[BreakTheHaughty Blossom down to size]], with Bubbles and Buttercup's blessings.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Barracuda}}'', Maria starts as a haughty young noblewoman, still in her teens, but in the first volume she is captured by pirates and sold into slavery. She is thoroughly demeaned and defiled, when she hits rock bottom, she resolves to take back control of her destiny, and begins her totally ruthless climb back to the top.

* This trope is commonly found in many [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Prince Hans]] redemption fanfics. Because he tried to kill Anna and Elsa in a selfish bid to become the king of Arendelle, he's sent back to Arendelle to be an unpaid servant for the sisters. He starts out grouchy about this initially, but eventually [[HeelRealization mellows out]] after [[JerkToNiceGuyPlot a long lesson]] on how being selfish made him an enemy of the sisters. Sometimes, the sisters and Kristoff will give a lengthy KirkSummation to him, with his standard response being a lame IDidWhatIHadToDo excuse. It takes an adventure for Hans to realize how being deceptive and greedy made him an enemy of the sisters, that LoveRedeems, and that he should enjoy life rather than just being obsessed with power in general.
* In the epilogue of ''[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-chronicles-of-tanya-the-holy-youjo-senki-warcraft.780787/ The Chronicles of Tanya the Holy]]'', it's mentioned that the Horde and Night Elves eventually went to war over resources and the Horde absolutely crushed the Night Elves, partially due to the latter's refusal to call upon their numerous allies even when they were obviously losing.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''. A prince refuses to provide shelter for an old woman. She turns out to be a powerful enchantress who curses him (and everybody in his castle, including a kid) for his judging her by her appearance. To be restored, the beast must learn to [[ThePowerOfLove love another and receive love in return]].

* ''Film/PacificRim'' shows [[HumongousMecha Jaeger]] pilot Raleigh Beckett's pride before the fall in the beginning. At first, he's brash, eager to fight, and sees the sighting of the {{Kaiju}} codenamed "Knifehead" as another potential notch in his and his co-pilot brother Yancy's belt instead of rightly giving it the regard as a threat it deserves. What results is him getting to witness his brother's DespairEventHorizon in his own head as he dies, the mental strain of piloting a Jaeger by himself, and the shattering of the invincible mystique of the Jaegers against the Kaiju menace. He becomes a ShellShockedVeteran and later has to be [[DareToBeBadass dared]] to come back into the service.

* The appropriately nicknamed Prince Brat in the children's book ''Literature/TheWhippingBoy''.

* A subtler version--or at least, one that would have been, had it not been for the [[ContemplateOurNavels journal entry]] that hammered the reader over the head with AnAesop--was when [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt Drizzt]] left his friends to go dissuade the drow from invading Mithral Hall. Why? Because he didn't want to put them in danger, and only trusted in his own abilities to... scare off an entire city of his kinsmen, many of whom were more powerful than him? He is promptly captured (and not even by drow!).
* Literature/PrinceRoger in ''March Upcountry'' doesn't get knocked down quite in the first few pages, but pretty quickly nonetheless.
* The first chapter of ''Melusine'', the first book in ''Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths'', sees arrogant Lord Felix revealed as a commoner and former prostitute.
* Humpty Dumpty in '''''Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice found there''''', Lewis Carroll's 1871 sequel to ''[[Literature/AliceInWonderland Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]''. Martin Gardner, in his [[TheAnnotatedEdition The Annotated Alice]], points out Humpty Dumpty's frequent use of the word "proud", lampshading the pride that goes before his fall.

* {{Inverted}} in ''Literature/ThePilgrimsProgress'' with Mr. Fearing. One of the challenges someone must go through is going down a hill into the Valley of Humiliation, something many strong pilgrims have a lot of trouble with. Not so with Mr. Fearing, who has a very low opinion of himself. He has absolutely no trouble going down the hill and a most pleasant time in the valley.

* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl''. A petty criminal with no respect for authority has a lottery ticket. He loses his ticket and undertakes to reform himself. When he starts, the ticket returns to him and he sees it as a sign that he's meant to use the money to keep trying.
* Dominar Rygel XVI of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' definitely qualifies as a slow learner - despite having been deposed and imprisoned some 130 "cycles" before the events of the series, he's still an [[JerkAss arrogant bastard]] when Crichton arrives. It takes most of the show's run for him to work his way to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold something more tolerable]].

* UK soap Series/{{Eastenders}} does this '''all the time'''. Every single time anybody is the least bit proud of anything, the fall is just around the corner. Sure as eggs is eggs.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
** This is part of the BackStory for the humans, who after winning a war with the Dilgar refuse to listen to cautionary advice given to them by the Centauri, and proceed to boldly stumble into a war with the Minbari because they were too proud to just leave the Minbari alone. This is complicated by the Minbari warrior caste's blind assumption that a race they had never met would be familiar with a Warrior Caste greeting tradition[[note]]That is, approaching the unknown ship with their gunports open[[/note]], that even their own religious leader had to have explained to him. This is ''further'' complicated by said Minbari religious leader making the unilateral decision to take his ship, with the Minbari's governing body, on an ill-advised expedition to Z'Ha'Dum, the homeworld of the long-dormant [[BigBad Shadows]], on a whim, just to see if they were back yet. If any of these parties had swallowed their pride enough to actually listen to anyone else before acting, the disastrous Earth-Minbari War would have been avoided. Of course, then the Babylon Project would have never happened either...
** The fate of the Centauri Republic later in the show (actually an empire) all happens due to Ambassador Londo's pride... and given how most of the other emperors had behaved (save for the sweet dying Emperor Turhan Bey [[spoiler:and future Emperor Vir]] ), it's a given that most of the Centauri upper class have the same failing. Similarly, their arch-nemeses, the Narn Regime, is too proud to back down from trying to pick a fight with the Centauri in retaliation for their past occupation and slavery at the Centauris' hands, and this leads ''them'' into a similarly disastrous and one-sided war with the Centauri [[spoiler: and the Shadows.]]
** The movie ''[[Recap/BabylonFiveFilm02Thirdspace Thirdspace]]'' reveals that even the Vorlons fell victim to their pride.
--> '''Vorlon Race Memory:''' Our great mistake, our failing and now your failing. The error is compounded.
--> '''Delenn:''' What mistake?
--> '''Vorlon Race Memory:''' The first one. The one from which all mistakes precede. The error of pride.
* The short-lived drama ''Citizen Baines'' qualifies as this, as Baines is a senator-soon-turned-former senator suddenly having to raise his kids.
* On an episode of ''Series/TheWestWing'', Josh attempts to run a press conference while CJ is out. Danny Kincannon warns him not to go up, and in response Josh rubs his [[IvyLeagueForEveryone Harvard and Yale background]] in his face. Josh then proceeds to get blindsided on two different fronts and become the White House's goat for the day.

* The first quarter of the ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. The main character finds out the hard way that being rich does not make you right all the time -- it's only when he stops relying on his family's reputation (among other things) that he becomes useful.
* This is (partially) how Phoenix Wright is tricked into presenting false evidence and losing his badge in ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney.'' When we see his flashback case against Klavier, he's quite full of himself, mocking Klavier's inexperience and his [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking accent,]] and he presents his evidence without reflecting on it. After he's caught, he's pretty much instantly humbled, and he never reaches those heights of arrogance again.
* The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' was immensely proud of his skiing abilities, and they went to his head. Then came the Barbarossa incident, which changed him forever.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarII''. In the first level, Kratos is in his full God of War glory, but it ends with him drained of his godly power and killed by Zeus. Unfortunately for...well, everyone, Zeus forgot that when you're dealing with Kratos, it doesn't matter how 'right' you are or how 'wrong' he is: 'petulant' doesn't begin to describe the man. This turn of events unravels what little sanity Kratos had remaining, and he goes on a deicidal temper tantrum that leaves the world a flooded, darkened, zombie-infested hellhole.

* In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', after the takedown of [[HackerCollective Medjed]], the Phantom Thieves are feeling very proud of their abilities and of the immense public support they are receiving. [[spoiler:In their very next heist, they are framed for the murder of Okumura as well as all of the Mental Shutdowns that have been plaguing the town for years.]]

* Clearly "inspired" by ''The Emperor's New Groove'', Dragon Prince Ao-Jun of ''VideoGame/{{Tradewinds}} Caravans'' is turned into a lowly talking camel as punishment for a life of debauchery and caravan-eating, and must do one truly selfless deed to regain his true form. It goes about as well as you might think, and he briefly becomes an invisible lowly talking camel after denouncing his faith (of which he is a deity) to tithe a ridiculous sum of someone else's money to heathens because it was just the easiest thing he could think of.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'': BigBad Carla Radames, Ada Wong's [[CloneByConversion reluctant]] {{Doppelganger}}, suffers from this. Her EvilPlan is going off without a hitch, but then she calls up the real Ada to gloat about what she's doing and how Ada will [[{{Frameup}} take the fall]] for it. Ada's subsequent intervention is the very thing that ruins Carla's [[NearVillainVictory otherwise flawless plan]].
* The ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreed'' series begins with one of these, as Altair - TheDragon for the head of the Assassin's guild - is cast down from his lofty position and has to start over as a low-ranked rookie.

* ''[[VideoGame/KingdomRush Kingdom Rush: Vengeance]]'' has Gerald Lightseeker in the Lightseeker Camp level. Within the span of the level, he starts out boasting about how he's a OneManArmy but refuses to fight because he feels his men can "deal with you one-handed", to having his Linirean forces beaten by [[VillainProtagonist your Dark Army]] which forces him to fight you directly. By then, your defences have become strong enough to defeat him. His final action before being captured by [[BigBad Vez'nan]] and the dark army is to plead "Could I keep my honor?" while kneeling down, injured.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', Sentinel Prime is introduced as an arrogant {{Jerkass}} who constantly belittles Optimus and his team and makes aside insults about the [[FantasticRacism "Organics"]] during a public appearance. Then came [[GrandTheftMe The Headmaster]]... It isn't until season 3 though that he starts to get along with Optimus again, but sadly he's become an even bigger ass than ever. [[spoiler: Especially after being promoted to Magnus.]]
* ComicBook/CaptainAtom in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''. As he's essentially Franchise/{{Superman}} class in this version, he has let his power go to his head, actively deriding people who don't have superpowers as useless. While he does invoke JerkassHasAPoint a couple of times, he is generally an insufferable ass who thinks he can't be harmed by anything. It takes a mishap with his arch-enemy, and some training from Franchise/{{Batman}}, to make him anything close to humble. He even subverts this: rather than being arrogant and condescending towards people weaker than him, he is now pitying and overprotective of them.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' story "Smart And Smarter" (Cartoon Network Block Party #59, DC), Blossom lets admittance to a school for especially smart children go to her head to the point that she not only alienates her sisters but also arch-foe Mojo Jojo. During a face-to-face battle, Mojo cuts [[BreakTheHaughty Blossom down to size]], with Bubbles and Buttercup's blessings.

* Emperor Kuzco of ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove''. We're made aware that he's a careless, self-absorbed emperor, and then the story begins as he's overthrown by Yzma and [[BalefulPolymorph turned into a llama]].

** In the manga and Brotherhood anime, the homunculus [[SmugSnake Pride]] [[spoiler:is reduced to a lilliputian-size infant, right after a CurbStompBattle and a panicked attempt at GrandTheftMe of the main character. [[MadBomber Kimblee]] even lampshades that Pride has essentially cast aside his own pride as a homunculus]].

** Pain has Naruto pinned down and impaled with six chakra draining rods to prevent movement. Instead of simply capturing him right then and there, he [[spoiler: stabs Hinata in a way that would make her bleed out quickly without immediate medical attention]]. Which angers Naruto enough to bring out Kyuubi. Turns out those chakra draining rods are no match for six tails of the Kyuubi's power, and his trump card is no match for eight tails. Pain snatches defeat, [[RedemptionEqualsDeath but also some redemption]], from the jaws of victory because of nothing but his ego.
** [[spoiler: The same can be said of his annihilation of the Hidden Leaf Village shortly beforehand]]. Despite having already won the battle and gotten what he wanted (the location of the Kyuubi jinchuriki), Pain insists on [[spoiler: physically destroying the entire village before leaving]], expending significant chakra to do so and severely straining himself. It's entirely possible that, had he not been weakened by this effort, he might have been strong enough to succeed in his capture of the Kyuubi. And it's particularly notable considering that, up until this point, despite his repeated declarations of godhood, Pain had demonstrated a very realistic evaluation of his own abilities, putting careful thought into his strategies and averting ExplainingYourPowersToTheEnemy to great effect. In both the above instances, he did what he did to make others [[CatchPhrase know pain]], showing how [[MeaningfulName important]] that motivation is to him.

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ''
** A version of this happens to Frieza after he's rebuilt into a cyborg. He goes to Earth, stronger than ever with his dad, ready to seek vengeance against Goku for his defeat on Namek. Not even five minutes after landed on Earth he's cut to pieces by Trunks and unceremoniously blasted to hell.

* {{Inverted}} in ''Literature/ThePilgrimsProgress'' with Mr. Fearing. One of the challenges someone must go through is going down a hill into the Valley of Humiliation--but Mr. Fearing--who has a very low opinion of himself--has absolutely no trouble going down the hill and a most pleasant time in the valley.

* ''Series/TheWheelOfTime'': In episode 7 Agelmar, the ruler of Fal Dara, reacts to Moiraine rather harshly when he thinks Aes Sedai sent help without him asking. His kingdom has survived long enough without outside assistance. In episode 8, after seeing the size of Trolloc army, he admits he should've called for help. [[spoiler:His city survives, but he does not.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''. A prince refuses to provide shelter for an old woman. She turns out to be a powerful enchantress who curses him ([[MoralDissonance and everybody in his castle, including a kid]]) for his judging her by her appearance. To be restored, the beast must learn to [[ThePowerOfLove love another and receive love in return]].