History Main / TooMuchForManToHandle

* The peak of existence in ''VisualNovel/{{Rewrite}}'' is a compendium of all knowledge. The BigBad accessed this in the past and was able to go further than anyone before her because she was just that smart (and also already had TransferrableMemory), but came out of it thinking that nothing had meaning and the world deserved to end. [[spoiler:The protagonist delves even further than she did, and were it not for his superpower, would have completely lost it.]]

* In ''TheWheelOfTime'', a Darkfriend once complains that he wants to have the full picture of what's going on, rather than his little piece of the puzzle. The Dark One gives the man a glimpse of the picture and it causes him to blackout from the excess of information he receives.

* Shiki in ''{{Tsukihime}}'' started seeing the lines of Death Perception after he got in an accident. Pro: He now has the ability to destroy almost anything by simply cutting the lines. Con: It makes him physically and psychologically sick, and being able to perceive death in such a way means his lifespan will be much shorter than a normal human's.

* In ''AyashiNoCeres'', once a ten'nyo/celestial maiden's powers are activated, her (or his) body starts to break down on a cellular level. It goes more quickly for some than for others, but it happens to all of them (save Aya/Ceres, who is [[strike:the protagonist]] different).

* In ''{{Smallville}}'', normal humans temporarily receiving Kryptonian powers will have long-term negative effects.
** Jonathan gets heart problems.
** Jeremiah goes into a permanent coma.

* In ''ComicBook/SecretWars'', when DoctorDoom gains the power of The Beyonder. Doom cannot even sleep for fear of accidentally destroying the universe.

** In the [[DarkPhoenixSaga original Phoenix arc]], Professor X said that when Jean Grey realized that the Phoenix power was too great for her to handle, she created a psionic circuit breaker in her own mind to keep it from overwhelming her.

* Detective Chimp had a reaction like this to the helmet of DoctorFate.

** The Spider Throne of Vecna in 2[[superscript:nd]] Edition forces a person who sits in it to experience everything being experienced by every life-form in his realm, right down to the flies on the walls. Vecna and his elite use the Throne to spy on the citizens; anyone else who sits on it is {{Mind Rape}}d into catatonia... or into [[ReforgedIntoAMinion becoming one of his elite]].

* {{Gotterdammerung}} of ''ForgottenRealms'', called "Karsus's Folly" after the only human who achieved godhood by spellcasting only. He researched and cast the spell borrowing the divine status of an existing deity, but couldn't handle the job the goddess of magic had to do. As a result, the world's magical circuitry began to fall apart so that 12- and 11- level spells didn't work anymore. To save what's left Mystril had to turn it off, killing herself and turning Karsus into an [[AndIMustScream "immortal" corpse knowing how much he screwed up everything]]. And that's before the spell took its full effect.
** The worst part is that it is implied that Karsus was actually ''aware'' that this trope was in effect. It's just that he thought the negative effects would be limited to him making a HeroicSacrifice to save his country, which he was perfectly willing to do.

* {{Lampshaded}} towards the end of ''''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', where [[BigBad Sarda]] demonstrates he's fully aware of this trope right as it bites him in the ass.

* {{Lampshaded}} towards the end of ''{{WebComic/Eight-Bit Theater}}'', where [[BigBad Sarda]] demonstrates he's fully aware of this trope right as it bites him in the ass.

* {{Lampshaded}} towards the end of ''{{WebComic/8-Bit Theater}}'', where [[BigBad Sarda]] demonstrates he's fully aware of this trope right as it bites him in the ass.

* {{Lampshaded}} towards the end of ''{{WebComic/EightBitTheater}}'', where [[BigBad Sarda]] demonstrates he's fully aware of this trope right as it bites him in the ass.

This is what happens when a character goes into [[AGodAmI God mode]], or at least experiences it in some way... and then realizes that he can't handle it: The knowledge of the inner workings of the universe overwhelms his mere human brain, the sheer power begins to burn out his mortal shell, he essentially experiences complete sensory overload on a cosmic scale. This can lead to [[DrivenToSuicide suicide]], [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity insanity]] and sometimes [[SuperpowerMeltdown other]] [[YourHeadAsplode grisly]] [[PowerDegeneration results]].

* In ''ForbiddenPlanet'', Dr Ostrow uses the Krell brain-boost machine and it makes him really, really smart but he dies a few minutes later.

* In ''SecretWars'', when DoctorDoom gains the power of The Beyonder. Doom cannot even sleep for fear of accidentally destroying the universe.

* In ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'', this happens when Mastermind is given a glimpse of the universe as Dark Phoenix sees it after awakening her, and is reduced to a drooling, mindless shell.

* {{Gotterdammerung}} of ''ForgottenRealms'', called "Karsus's Folly" after the only human who achieved godhood by spellcasting only. He researched and cast the spell borrowing the divine status of an existing deity, but couldn't handle the job the goddess of magic had to do. As a result, the world's magical circuitry began to fall apart so that 12- and 11- level spells don't work anymore. To save what's left Mystril had to turn it off, killing herself and turning Karsus into an [[AndIMustScream "immortal" corpse knowing how much he screwed up everything]]. And that's before the spell took its full effect.

** The episode ''The Long Game'' has a mention of futuristic computers - activated by linking to people's brains - having safeguards to prevent overload.
** At the end of Series 4, [[spoiler:[[HalfHumanHybrid Doctor Donna]]'s brain starts burning out from all of the Doctor's Time Lord experience, leading to a serious DownerEnding]].

* In {{Smallville}}, normal humans temporarily receiving kryptonian powers will cause long-term negative effects.

* In ''Discworld/AHatFullOfSky'', this is the [BigBad Big Bad's]] entire motive for possessing Tiffany. Possessing people helps the hiver stave off the crushing pain of being simultaneously aware of every blade of grass or speck of dust in the entire universe. Having experienced a similar phenomenon in ''Discworld/TheWeeFreeMen'' while channeling her full magical strength to defeat the Queen of the elves, Tiffany begins to sympathize with the hiver.

* In ''Discworld/AHatFullOfSky'', this is the BigBad's entire motive for possessing Tiffany. Possessing people helps the hiver stave off the crushing pain of being simultaneously aware of every blade of grass or speck of dust in the entire universe. Having experienced a similar phenomenon in ''Discworld/TheWeeFreeMen'' while channeling her full magical strength to defeat the Queen of the elves, Tiffany begins to sympathize with the hiver.

* Ursault the All-Seeing from ''[[ForgottenRealms A Little Knowledge]]'' by Elaine Cunningham has a great and clean prescience... and all he saw was one infinite maze of [[ForWantOfANail possibilities that change everything]] both for good and ill, depending on other possibilities, that... and so on. Since even his trained mind could keep only a very little part of the picture, this was more annoying than useful. Others considered him MadOracle because if he was asked for a prediction, it habitually dissolved into babble of endless conditional forks.

* In Discworld/AHatFullOfSky, this is the BigBad's entire motive for possessing Tiffany. Possessing people helps the hiver stave off the crushing pain of being simultaneously aware of every blade of grass or speck of dust in the entire universe. Having experienced a similar phenomenon in ''Discworld/TheWeeFreeMen'' while channeling her full magical strength to defeat the Queen of the elves, Tiffany begins to sympathize with the hiver.

* In the Twilight fanfic {{FanFic/Luminosity}}, [[spoiler:Addy]] escapes from [[spoiler:imminent execution]] by telepathically broadcasting her entire lifetime's memories. She's several centuries old, and by using Aro's power has absorbed the memories of ''dozens'' of other vampires, some of whom are several ''millenia'' old. The escape... succeeds, to say the least.

* The ultimate fate of Dr. Strange in ''TheBatman.'' He became TheQuisling for [[AssimilationPlot The Joining]] in exchange for all of their knowledge. By the time Batman and the Justice League found Strange, he was a vegetable.