History Main / ReedRichardsIsUseless

* WebVideo/BennettTheSage points out in his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v46LSrmHqh8 review]] of the ''Anime/EighthMan After'' that it makes no sense why the scientist who created 8 Man (a robot-human hybrid), has been withholding drugs from the world that allows people to receive cybernetic limb implants without going insane.

* The World Detective Organization in ''VideoGame/MasterDetectiveArchivesRainCode'' is a detective organization that gathers the most experienced detectives in the world, and then trains them to hone in a supernatural disposition and turn it into something known as a Forensic Forte. Due to only being detectives, this is instead used solely to investigate cases in the dark, rather than to save the world in a more ''inventive'' way. Yakou Furio, the Nocturnal Detective Agency's chief, even feels inferior merely being a detective, and in one of the Gumshoe Gabs, even discusses this trope, saying that the detectives working under him can use their Forensic Fortes for ''more'' than just investigation work.

* Played with in ''Manga/ItsToughBeingNeeko''. Neeko is brilliant at graphic design and video editing, and her family and friends regularly call for her assistance whether they need those skills. So it feels weird that no one ever brings this up as a job option when agonizing over her NEET status. This is possibly explained in one of the flashback chapters: it turns out that the job hunts that completely crushed her confidence ''were'' attempts that leveraging this skill, but she was constantly rebuffed by advertising agencies because she was a self-taught artist and struggled with the interviewing process. By the time a company ''was'' willing to hire her, her self-esteem was already so damaged that she rejected the offer out of self-loathing, so her family likely didn't bring it up to avoid demoralizing her even more, but it remains a bit odd that none of their attempts to help her find work included encouraging her into trying freelance if working at an office was too daunting for her newfound social anxiety.

# To avoid trivializing real-life problems. If Mr. Fantastic actually does cure HIV in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, there will be plenty of real people still HIV-positive, and plenty of researchers still investing untold millions of dollars and work hours to fight HIV when they finish the comic. This can make creators wary of tackling such issues, as it can be considered insensitive to have such a heavy burden in real life be casually miracle-cured in fiction. Also, in the interest of representation, disabled people exist in universes where science should theoretically be able to cure their disability. However, either the disability is so ingrained as a facet of the character's portrayal or curing them could be seen to detract from their mass-market appeal as someone that other disabled readers can relate to. This is probably why [[ComicBook/XMen Professor X]] always ends up back in the wheelchair after regaining use of his legs. One possible InUniverse explanation is that they simply [[KeepingTheHandicap chose to live with the disability]] for whatever reason (for example, it gives them some advantages, or they feel it as a part of who they are). Similarly to point one, this is generally more of a concern if the world is supposed to reflect the real world closely; if it's explicitly an AlternateHistory or AlternateUniverse, or the future, then [[AlternateUniverseReedRichardsIsAwesome there's greater room to play with this without potentially causing offense]].

* Franchise/StargateVerse:

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'':

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': [[GravityMaster Uraraka's powers]] are lampshaded as an example in the ''Smash'' extras. An object that doesn't conform to gravity would be a priceless boon to science (as an objective yardstick in a relative universe), but nobody ever thinks of this.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983'', Dungeon Master grants one of the adventurers his powers. The newly uber-powered member uses his power to bring forth water for the thirsty teammates. Dungeon Master responds that by using the powers to generate that water, water from another area had to be deprived.

* In ''Dungeon Master'', the main character has invented a pair of glasses that can control numerous electronic devices such as traffic lights, and ATM machines. He doesn't bother to market the invention (to be fair marketing a tool whose primary purpose is casually breaking laws ''would'' be a bit problematic, but then if he's capable of making something like that...), and remains stuck as a low-paid IT assistant.

* This is averted in ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'' with Dr. Meredith Stinson aka Tachyon who, unlike what you might expect from an [[OmnidisciplinaryScientist omnidisciplinary super scientist]] in a world based on Comic Books, has actually released several world changing inventions and innovations including sending humans to mars, making it possible to get your gas mileage over 60 miles to the gallon, and discovering a freaking ''cure for cancer!''

See PlausibleDeniability and MundaneUtility for aversions, and YouAreNotReady for a {{Deconstruction}}. [[OppositeTropes Antonym]] to AlternateUniverseReedRichardsIsAwesome. Compare SuperPrototype, SupermanStaysOutOfGotham and DudleyDoRightStopsToHelp. When gods are the ones not doing anything, it's TheGodsMustBeLazy. When applied to supervillains, see CutLexLuthorACheck.

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'': That 1.21 gigawatt nuclear reactor in the back of the car is an astonishing creation on all levels. To get that kind of energy output with current technology requires a huge reactor structure that costs hundreds of millions to build, while Doc Brown's reactor is about one cubic meter in size and he built it in his garage with the kind of resources a single well-to-do private citizen can muster. If this technology was allowed to spread, it would completely change the face of the global energy market. Even if you HandWave it by saying the reactor isn't suited for continuous energy production but it expends the whole fuel rod to give about ten seconds of electricity, that is remarkable for other reasons, such as being able to contain the rod without it melting its way through the bottom. Doc Brown does however eventually realize the time machine has done more harm than good, so presumably he thinks the same of the nuclear reactor.

** Perhaps the only justified example happens in ''Literature/TheThirteenthWarrior'', where the main character Ibn Fadlan discovers a population of living neanderthals. While an intelligent and learned man, the story takes place in TheMiddleAges, and so Ibn Fadlan does not realize the importance of his discovery.

** Perhaps the only justified example happens in ''Literature/EatersOfTheDead'', where the main character Ibn Fadlan discovers a population of living neanderthals. While an intelligent and learned man, the story takes place in TheMiddleAges, and so Ibn Fadlan does not realize the importance of his discovery.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' build interplanetary rockets, animal translation devices, and the like every morning. But they only do it to enjoy summer vacation. And by the time their mom gets home [[ResetButton everything is back to normal]]. Although in the future episode it's implied Phineas has won the Nobel Prize and Ferb is at Camp David, so they presumably grow up to tackle more "serious" concerns.

*** In yet another similar case, the Next Generation episode "Attached" introduces implants that give anyone that has them implanted telepathic ability with at least one other person, yet this extremely useful technology is not explored or even mentioned in any future Star Trek series despite the obvious numerous potential applications. This one has stronger footing than some others. It was created by a race hostile to the main characters as a means of involuntary brain download (something Starfleet understandably frowns upon). It also gets more than a passing mention that if two people use the device for too long their personalities, memories, ect start to bleed over. Additionally going more than a few meters from the other linked user is excruciating. A simple Vulcan mind meld would offer the same effects with less danger to the people involved.

-->-- ''[[ComicBook/StardustTheSuperWizard Stardust the Super Wizard]]'', Fantastic Comics #14

[[WeatherManipulation A person who controls weather]] will never make it rain in drought-stricken areas, or stop the rain during terrible flooding, or stop a heatwave. A person who can [[MakingASplash control water]] will never douse bush fires or burning buildings, or [[JustForFun/TheseLookLikeJobsForTheSuperman get a job at a power station.]] And a [[SuperIntelligence supergenius]] (such as [[TropeNamers Reed Richards]] / [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour Mister Fantastic]] of the Comicbook/FantasticFour) can save the life of starving demi-god beings like [[Characters/MarvelComicsGalactus Galactus]], but will never take a weekend to duplicate and market Doctor Doom's burn-victim cure device or release his inventions that could solve a variety of real-world problems (and earn their creator millions of dollars). All potential solutions to real-life problems will only be done in novel (fictional) situations--useless. StatusQuoIsGod, and the status quo of the real world even more so. It's the same reason [[HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct you can't stop Hitler from starting World War II]].

# To keep the hero unique. If the hero shares their technology, magic, discoveries, or other advantages with the world, they'll cease to be uniquely special. ComicBook/IronMan isn't Iron Man if he sells his suits on every street corner or shares the technology so anyone can produce them, necessitating an explanation for why he doesn't. This is why the DisposableSuperheroMaker is [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup disposable]] in the first place - to avoid flooding the setting with {{superhero}}es.
# To avoid trivializing real-life problems. If Mr. Fantastic actually does cure HIV in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, there will be plenty of real people still HIV-positive, and plenty of researchers still investing untold millions of dollars and work hours to fight HIV when they finish the comic. This can make creators wary of tackling such issues, as it can be considered insensitive to have such a heavy burden in real life be casually miracle-cured in fiction. Also, in the interest of representation, disabled people exist in universes where science should theoretically be able to cure their disability. However, either the disability is so ingrained as a facet of the character's portrayal or curing them could be seen to detract from their mass-market appeal as someone that other disabled readers can relate to. This is probably why [[Characters/MarvelComicsProfessorX Professor X]] always ends up back in the wheelchair after regaining use of his legs. One possible InUniverse explanation is that [[KeepingTheHandicap they simply CHOSE to live with the disability]] for whatever reason (for example, it gives them some advantages, or they feel it as a part of who they are). Similarly to point one, this is generally more of a concern if the world is supposed to reflect the real world closely; if it's explicitly an AlternateHistory or AlternateUniverse, or the future, then [[AlternateUniverseReedRichardsIsAwesome there's greater room to play with this without potentially causing offense]].

# The technology itself and/or its components are all AwesomeButImpractical, at least in regards to mass-production and/or maintenance. The {{Unobtanium}} needed to make the device work is too expensive and/or rare for it to be mass produced: a suit of impenetrable super-metal armor might be a great idea for equipping soldiers with, but if that single suit represents 80% of the known stockpile of the metal and cost more than an aircraft carrier, it's not something that can really be issued to the troops. Additionally, it's exceedingly dangerous, difficult and/or expensive to get a hold of (such as extraterrestrial materials or exotic states of matter that require millions of dollars to produce and maintain). Often overlaps with NewTechIsNotCheap, as while the fancy new phlebotinum can be produced in enough quantities for a single gadget-using hero to use, it can't be cheaply mass-produced for the masses yet.

Smaller-scale continuities such as newly-created SuperHero universes with a single author to explore the fictional world in 1 or 2 titles are more likely to avert and examine the concept of super-technology's effect on modern society, especially if the writer is trying to make a geopolitical statement. Larger superhero continuities, such as Creator/MarvelComics and Creator/DCComics, are established to have upheld this trope as their Earths have been explored in extensive detail. The trope can be inverted by having a hero "inventing" a technological revolution that already exists (for example, the UltimateUniverse ComicBook/IronMan apparently invented the [=MP3=] player).

* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', magically bound ghost-slave Oreg tells Ward that he must do whatever Ward wants, and has great power. What does Ward ask him to do? "Protect my sister, and report to me each evening". Later on, Axiel, the BattleButler, notes that Oreg is obviously trained as assassin. This fact is ignored for the rest of the novel, no assassination orders are given. Oreg does some magic, but mostly just hangs out with Ward, and does whatever Ward is doing at the moment, or assists with some magic. Justified by the fact that Ward is a decent person, and thinks of Oreg as a kind of additional brother to be protected, not a thing to be used. (It is also implied that Oreg's power may be weakened by the distance he is away from castle Hurog, but is not explained in detail.)

* In ''Literature/MoreThanHuman'' by ''Creator/TheodoreSturgeon'', the protagonist, Lone, invents an anti-gravity device, in order to prevent his stepfather's old farm truck from continually getting stuck. Justified in that though he is a telepathic genius who is part of a superhuman gestalt, he is also, in the words of the book, "an idiot", as in extremely low intelligence.
* ''[[Literature/NightWatchSeries The Watch]]'':

* ''Website/{{Superdickery}}.com'' presents [[http://www.superdickery.com/superman-joins-the-army/ the most inefficient use]] of Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}}. "Again, couldn't he pretty much instantly win the war if he wanted to?"
* Justified in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, where there are two types of inventor mutants:

** Similarly in the original series episode "Plato's Stepchildren", Bones uses a mineral common on the planet of the week to produce a 'serum' (that gives people [[MindOverMatter telekinetic]] powers. Despite the obvious utility something like this would have, it is never used again. The episode does attempt to justify it by showing what {{jerkass}}es the Platonians have become thanks to their reliance on those powers, and the one member of their society who is unable to develop the power naturally due to a pituitary disorder (and has been subsequently tortured by the others because of it) flat-out refuses to take [=McCoy=]'s serum because he doesn't want to take the risk of becoming like them. Knowledge of the serum is taken with the crew, though solely to be used as a reminder to the Platonians that subsequent visitors will be able to duplicate it and won't be pushed around like the ''Enterprise'' crew were.

* ''Film/ShinKamenRider2023'' uses this as the reason why the titular Kamen Rider's creator decided to rebel against SHOCKER: he created bio-augmentation technology which allows an ordinary human to gain superhuman powers and be freed of most bodily needs, all fueled by the [[LifeEnergy prana]] generated by other humans and absorbed from the air. When he realized the fatal flaw in this concept, that the system needs most people to ''not'' be super so they can generate the prana that the handful of supers use, it drove him to abandon the technology.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'', Aperture Science developed several technologies that, with proper application, would have revolutionized the world. Just one, the portal gun, could have, in an instant, solved nearly every transportation and logistical problem on the planet, enabled CasualInterstellarTravel, and incidentally made the company trillions. They also developed BrainUploading, [[AIIsACrapshoot true AI]], HardLight, some really amazing hardware to prevent [[NotTheFallThatKillsYou injury from falling]], and a variety of other things. But they were so into testing all their inventions that they never marketed them publicly, instead marketing and shipping them to ''themselves'' for even '''more''' testing. It also doesn't help that they ignored even the most basic of safety standards, to the point where their facilities would have given [[NoOSHACompliance OSHA inspectors]] a heart attack. Then they were all [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters killed by the AI]] that they put in charge of the facility, which happened around the same time as the [[VideoGame/HalfLife2 Combine invasion of Earth]].

* Averted in ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'' with Orochi Grp., whose inventions are applied worldwide and are bleeding edge of research of natural and supernatural, besides all that addictive drugs in soda and worldwide surveillance system. Played straight with all other supernaturals, but justified--most part of the secret world is very malevolent and dangerous and it took a lot of effort to cull all that demons and vampires to current level of Masquerade.
** While it's unclear ''how'' much this is so, the [[PragmaticVillainy Illuminati]] in particular both originally invented and abandoned a surprising percentage of the Orochi Group's current lines of experimentation, having discovered reasons they just don't work out in the long term. This coincidence (and it mostly ''is'') eventually merges into a plot point.
* The ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series has [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]], though in this case it's more akin to "Reed Richards is a Jerk". Seriously, this guy could have revolutionized the world countless times over with his tech, but he has zero interest in using it to the benefit of others. Instead, he opts to use it to try and TakeOverTheWorld.

** In the much reviled ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' "Threshold", Tom Paris successfully creates a way to make vehicles reach Warp 10 which is explicitly described as ''infinite speed''. It is then completely scrapped because it causes the unfortunate effect of [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext turning people into salamanders]]. No one points out the logical alternative of ''slowing down the vehicle'' before it reaches Warp 10, travelling at the necessary speed to get back to the Alpha Quadrant and revolutionizing galactic travel. Even if the salamander thing still maintains, they managed to successfully reverse it with no adverse effects!

** By the end of the episode "When The Bough Breaks", the crew of the Enterprise basically has unrestricted access to the technology of the super-advanced Aldean civilization. This includes a shield and cloaking device that can protect an entire planet and a repulsor beam that can hurl a starship light years away from it. Yet no evidence exists that they ever even bothered to take detailed scans of the technology, much less tried to duplicate it. These things would certainly have been ''very'' useful in the conflicts with the Borg and the Dominion. Though the power source for the equipment was far beyond anything the Federation had seen.

** Played with in one episode where Mr Kraft buys a magic box that he discovers can copy items. He uses it to duplicate his gold bars and wonders whether it can be used for other resources as well, then promptly forgets about it and continues duplicating his gold bars.

* On ''Series/FraggleRock'', Convincing John has the ability to convince anyone to do anything (even when they don't know it's him, such as in [[spoiler: The Secret Society of Poobahs]]), yet he never thinks to convince the Gorgs into no longer being a threat to Fraggles, nor does Gobo think to have him go to "outer space" to convince Sprocket to not be his enemy.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' and its spin-offs repeatedly stress the idea that interfering in human history more than necessary will cause a lot more problems than it solves. Although touched on in the original series (as noted in the examples below), ithe revived series in 2005 introduced the phrase "fixed point in time" to describe moments that the Doctor cannot tamper with. So, for example, he cannot prevent Hitler from starting the Second World War (despite another person attempting this in "Let's Kill Hitler") or prevent 9/11.