Line #65 Main/TheCallPutMeOnHold


1	->''"All of you guys can do this awesome bending stuff like putting out forest fires and flying around and making other stuff fly around... I can't fly around, okay? I can't do '''anything.'''"''
2	-->-- '''Sokka''', ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''
3
4	In some fictional societies, [[EveryoneIsASuper nearly everyone is born with some kind of power or special ability]].
5
6	Except ''you''. You're a [[UnSorcerer powerless freak.]] Once you get old enough to realize what a loser you are (usually the teen years), cue the [[{{Angst}} depression and sobbing]]. Maybe even a [[{{Wangst}} half-hearted suicide attempt]] if it gets really bad.
7
8	"IJustWantToBeSpecial!", you say? Don't despair, young [[TheHero Hero]]! There is often a bright side to thinking you've been born devastatingly deprived...
9
10	* Maybe you're just a "late bloomer". Your powers will arrive in due time, better late than never. [[MagikarpPower It may involve extra training and persistence.]] Even if your powers aren't what you and everyone else were expecting them to be, the Call will usually [[BestForLast toss in a bonus for its tardiness]]: You'll usually wind up with something ''far'' more rare and/or powerful than the ordinary, run-of-the-mill powers everyone ''else'' has.
11	* Maybe you haven't developed powers because somebody's been ScreeningTheCall. Deliberately or otherwise, if this turns out to be the case you can't simply ''wait'' for it to arrive — you have to step up and take an active role to reclaim your birthright. TheCallLeftAMessage, but it's up to ''you'' to RSVP.
12	* Sometimes you just won't get any powers. Period. But cheer up — living around other people with special powers may just give you what you need to become a BadassNormal, somebody too awesome to actually ''need'' superpowers in the first place.
13	** The powers may have an Achilles heel. Some drug or poison or form of radiation or disease that ''only'' affects the "gifted". If it disables all or most of the gifted, you and the other misfits will have to rise to the occasion.
14	* Or, in the worst case scenario, you'll ... just have to [[AnAesop learn to live with being "different"]], being handicapped compared to everyone else with nothing you can do about it. Note that there's a very strong chance that this Aesop will be [[BrokenAesop broken]] if you actually turn out to be a late bloomer after all (see the first point), with the message ultimately being presented as "all good things come to those who wait" instead of "you don't have to be special, to be special".
15	* Actually, you possess the key power or trait that will win the final battle, complete the quest, or whatever. This won't become obvious to everyone until the end though, although usually one of the characters such as the CloudCuckooLander or TheMentor will notice. Everyone else might have flashy powers that blow things up or the like, but perhaps as a result of that, they simply cannot do the one crucial thing that has to be done. This can be AnAesop: [[{{Anvilicious}} Beware of falling anvils.]]
16
17	In any case, if you find yourself anxiously awaiting the Call which has come for everyone but you, consider that it could be worse: you could be BlessedWithSuck, or get stuck with a [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway seemingly pointless and trivial power]]. A little waiting isn't much to put up with, really, if it means you're going to be awesome eventually. One day, some bizarre chain of events will mean [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman even YOU get your moment in the spotlight.]]
18
19	Or, if all else fails and you just can't wait, you can always turn to TheDarkSide... ([[MemeticMutation they have cookies]]).
20
21	This trope might alternately be called [[JustForFun/LousyAlternateTitles "No super for you!"]]
22
23	Compare and contrast MissedTheCall. A person in this position might at first think they were RefusedByTheCall. TheChosenWannabe ''hopes'' this is the situation with him.
24
25	----
26	!!Examples:
27
28	[[foldercontrol]]
29
30	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
31	* The introduction of ''Manga/BlackClover''. Asta wants to become the Wizard King but is the only person in the setting who can't use magic, not gaining a grimoire at the ceremony. When a thief confirms that he doesn't have any magic, Asta almost gives up until Yuno acknowledges him as his rival. Asta's regained determination manifests his own grimoire that gives him an anti-magic sword to defeat the thief, with him and Yuno reaffirming their rivalry afterwards.
32	* The main character of ''Manga/BrokenBlade'', Rygart, and his brother grew up without the ability to control quartz as all the other people in the world do. This power is basically the backbone of the technology in that world, so they're both left with manual farming as their main livelihood. For someone with a handicap that would mean he had no choice to walk through a desert on foot to answer a royal summons, Rygart lives with it pretty well. Because of this, he's also the only one who can pilot an ancient golem.
33	* Vegeta in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' spends the first half of the series complaining about how he is the Prince of all Saiyans but couldn't turn into a Super Saiyan yet. Also, he was upset when Goku and Future Trunks were all able to turn Super Saiyan before him.
34	%% This doesn't explain what the until is. Please do not unhide until further context has been added. ** This happens to Gohan when he fights Cell. Goku calls Gohan out to fight Cell, but much to Gohan's lament he can't willfully protect everyone, that is until...
35	* In ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'', cyber-augmented brains are as common as cell phones, so being unable to have one puts you at a serious disadvantage. One of the characters in a novel had to wait until his late teens to get one, but by then, he's in military school due to the social problems he had growing up.
36	* [[spoiler:Nami]] of ''Anime/TheGirlWhoLeaptThroughSpace'' - she was overshadowed by [[spoiler: her many sisters]], so when [[spoiler:Nerval]] offered her power she couldn't refuse.
37	* Toru of ''Manga/IrisZero'' is a normal in a school where the majority of the people have vision-related powers. His lack of powers is actually what has made him AwesomenessByAnalysis KnightInSourArmor.
38	* ''Literature/KazeNoStigma'' gives us three of these, Kazuma Kannagi and Kureha Tsuwabaki both lack the powers of their clans (for different reasons) but gain different powers, while Misao Ōgami has her clan's powers, but weak, so she makes a DealWithTheDevil to make up for it.
39	* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', the third season of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', features a minor example: Teana (mistakenly) believes that she is the only one on [[HeroesRUs Riot Force 6]] without special talents/powers and that she doesn't belong there. While it is true that she doesn't have special ''magic'' talents (barring her shooting and illusion spells), her exceptionally sharp mind and timing (and a [[BeamSpam Crossfire Shoot]] from [[OlderAndWiser Nanoha]], and [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan "held-back" punch]] from [[LadyOfWar Signum]], and a major {{Reveal}} from [[MrExposition Shari]]... yes, Tea is stubborn like that) eventually make her a MagicalGirl equivalent of Franchise/{{Batman}}.
40	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Protagonist Izuku Midoriya lives in a world where EveryoneIsASuper and has some kind of superpower called [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Quirks]], but unfortunately for him, [[UnSorcerer he's one of the minority of people to not have any powers whatsoever]]. This changes when he meets the Number 1 Hero, [[SupermanSubstitute All Might]], and impresses him enough that he decides to transfer his unique and powerful Quirk, [[SuperEmpowering One For All]], to Midoriya and train him to be his successor.
41	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''
42	** Rock Lee, a ninja who's completely incapable of using ninjutsu and genjutsu, but over time becomes a master of [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower taijutsu]]. Lee's teacher/father figure Might Guy was almost as bad in his youth, being incompetent at ninjutsu and genjutsu and thus focusing on becoming the greatest taijutsu master there is [[note]] however, he can use limited SummonMagic. Lee is just unlucky. [[/note]]. The BigBad of the series, who holds almost everyone else's abilities in contempt, says that Guy succeeded at that.
43	** Naruto himself, before the series starts. He is considered an outcast and a loser by everyone, he has the worst grades in the academy to the point of having failed the last two trimesters, and he cannot use the very basic "Clone Jutsu". And then the series starts...
44	* This has Lua from ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' written all over it. Technically, he's been following the gang around since episode 5 and when everybody figured out they're Signers, he was left in the dust. However, it turns out [[spoiler:he's just a late bloomer. Ironically, he evolved into a Signer. MakesSenseInContext]] Even in an episode, he's lampshaded this:
45	-->'''Lua:''' I'm just going to be standing there, looking lame and cheering you guys on like, "'Go guys! You can do it!'"
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Comic Books]]
49	* Tyler Marlocke from ''ComicBook/PS238'' -- no powers yet, but that doesn't mean his near-PhysicalGod parents aren't going to keep hoping, and strong-arm him into the superhero school in the hopes he'll get TouchedByVorlons, or in some other ways awaken latent powers, while there. The teachers instead start training him as a BadassNormal under a Franchise/{{Batman}} CaptainErsatz.
50	* Inverted in an ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'' arc, where an alternate Ben Grimm puts himself on hold. The gist is that TimeTravel creates an alternate timeline (the "Planet of the Capes") where an alien pill grants everyone on Earth super-powers... except for Ben Grimm, who decides not to take it because he's happy with himself just as he is. Various characters remark that he's the most well-adjusted person they know, which makes his current situation as the suicidally depressed Thing even ''more'' tragic. [[spoiler:In that timeline, the pill ends up killing everyone who had taken it, leaving Ben to apply some more time travel to clean up the pieces. For bonus angst, the way the situation's set up means that he accidentally causes himself to get eaten by the local ClockRoaches and then die hundreds of years ago in an ancient Mayan Temple]]. When the [[spoiler:Skrull]] leader comes to Earth with the ability to copy the power of any superhuman within a huge radius. However, [[spoiler: Ben points out that if the only human left on Earth has no powers, then neither does the Skrull leader. Ben then proceeds to kick the now powerless Skrull's ass. Epically]].
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Fan Works]]
54	* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', Harry has his magic... or at least, as much magic as he does early on in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban''. And for the first forty chapters of the first book, that's it - and for the next twenty after that, his hereditary powers start to appear, but slowly, and usually when they do, [[PowerIncontinence they backfire spectacularly.]] This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that he's the demigod son of Thor (incarnated as James Potter) and cousin of Jean Grey, which means that he should/will be ''very'' powerful... ''and the bad guys (who are way out of his weight class) are very aware of this''. Which means that they want to take him out while they still can. Consequently, his go-to tactics in the first book are a) throwing out a spell or two and running like hell, b) talking very quickly and pretending it's a plan, c) a combination of the above. From chapter 60 onwards, they start developing much faster, to his and everyone else's relief.
55	* Poor Paul goes through several weeks of this in ''Fanfic/WithStringsAttached''. He almost goes nuts with jealousy after the others all get magic and he's left powerless. Not one to sit around and accept his fate, he attempts to learn spells, but it turns out he can't cast them without collapsing. So he drinks and laments for a while, until the call finally comes through (the Fans come back from Winter Solstice Break) and he gets stronger magic than the others... though it comes with a healthy [[BlessedWithSuck blessing of suck]].
56	** Ironically, now that he's NighInvulnerable and tireless, he's not only able to easily cast the two spells he learned, but he can somehow boost them to do amazing things.
57	* [[WesternAnimation/SherlockHolmesInTheTwentySecondCentury Beth Lestrade]] is [[KidHero only fifteen]] in her first appearance in ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfTime''. [[Series/DoctorWho The Doctor]] leaves her behind, but not before promising he'll come back for her in a few years. Next time we see her again, she's seventeen and pretty much [[ShesAllGrownUp All Grown Up]].
58	* In the ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' fanfic ''Fanfic/RaisedByJagers'' it's revealed that Agatha's ancestor, Persiflat Heterodyne, had the embarrassment of only [[TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening breaking through]] when he was ''thirty-four''. He proceeded to [[WhosLaughingNow Show Them All]].
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Films — Animated]]
62	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}'' is about a family of people who inherit a magical "gift" that they receive on their fifth birthday, a gift that they then use to [[MundaneUtility help support their community]]. Except for Mirabel. Her ceremony ended with no gift, and she had to live with that little fact hanging over her for ten years. With that said, she still tries to help the community in her comparatively limited capacity. She also finds that the Gifts have "Achilles heel" problems, particularly for her sisters and her long-lost Uncle Bruno ([[BlackSheep whom we don't talk about]]).
63	* ''WesternAnimation/HappyFeet''. Mumble is the only emperor penguin who can't sing, at all-- and the only one whose Heartsong doesn't actually involve singing.
64	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' has an interesting example with Jack-Jack, an infant child of a superhero family. The family seems to assume that he was born without powers, rather than consider that they had not developed yet...though in a deleted scene, Violet activates her powers as a baby, which suggests that powers are 'on' from birth instead of developing slowly.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
68	* The protagonist of ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': the son of the two most famous heroes in the city, yet entirely powerless himself [[spoiler:until his powers activate and he learns he has the powers of ''both'' his parents]].
69	* The Creator/DisneyChannel movie ''Film/UpUpAndAway'' is about the powerless middle child of a superpowered family. Even his baby sister has EyeBeams.
70	[[/folder]]
71
72	[[folder:Literature]]
73	* No. 1 of ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' was fairly old for his age, so to speak; he should have "Warped" and transformed from an imp into a full-fledged demon some time ago, but could neither build up the desire nor the requisite slime to do so. It turned out it was because [[spoiler:he was a warlock, and warlocks never warp]]. It didn't help that bloodlust just wasn't in No. 1's nature, either. Imps usually warp into demons when they get really worked up about the idea of ripping something (usually humans) apart, so No. 1 being a naturally gentle spirit made this difficult.
74	* In British author Kit Whitfield's debut novel ''Bareback'' (''Benighted'' in the US, for obvious reasons) around 99% of the world's population are werewolves. The remaining 1% are "normal" humans, derided as "cripples" and "barebacks" by everyone else, and are tasked with rounding up stray wolves on full moon nights.
75	* In Sam Enthoven's ''Literature/TheBlackTattoo'', Jack complains that he is not being trained at all despite being technically allowed in the Brotherhood, for no clear reason even. Aside from Jessica, who lampshades it doesn't make any sense, no other character comments on the oddity that is keeping a completely useless member.
76	* ''Literature/BruceCovillesBookOf'':
77	** ''Bruce Coville's Book of Magic'': Aaron is Bellenmore's apprentice in ''Wizard's Boy'', but he can't tap the High or Low Magic until it's finally awakened after [[spoiler: he gets hold of the Black Stone of Borea, allowing him to defeat Malefestra]].
78	** ''Bruce Coville's Book of Magic II'': ''Transitions'' follows a family who eventually develop powers when they're around fourteen. At least a few of them developed later than usual, such as oldest sister Opal, who went through transition at sixteen.
79	* In Jennifer Roberson's ''Chronicles of the Cheysuli'' series, every man in the Cheysuli tribe bonds with a ''[[BondCreatures lir]]'', a sentient animal companion that allows them to shapeshift. The protagonist of the fourth book, the half-Cheysuli Niall, is years older than the usual age for bonding and despairs of it ever happening. [[spoiler: Of course, it does.]]
80	* Tavi in Jim Butcher's ''Literature/CodexAlera'', in all of the senses above. In Alera, ''everyone'' has ElementalPowers due to spirits known as furies, which they normally bond with as children. Except Tavi, who's still stubbornly [[BadassNormal normal]], which by Aleran standards is almost [[HandicappedBadass a physical disability]]. He resigns himself to living as a BadassNormal, but it turns out that [[spoiler:[[FamilyRelationshipSwitcheroo his mom, Isana]], deliberately stunted his powers to make him less of a target, since he's [[SecretLegacy heir to the entire Aleran empire]]. As a result of his heritage, when they finally come in (15 years late) his powers are stronger than anyone else's... [[UnskilledButStrong but he doesn't have anywhere near the skill to utilize them properly]] for years after due to his lack of practice.]]
81	* Joram of ''Literature/TheDarkswordTrilogy'' was born in a world where everyone has some innate magical skill, and he has absolutely none. He does a good job of hiding it for a while and then hooks up with an outlaw group, discovers that his innate magical skill (and implicitly that of all other 'mundanes') is actually "technological affinity", and sets out to forge the Darksword, a weapon that consumes magic.
82	* ''Literature/{{Domina}}'':
83	** Adam is the only member of the Paladins who didn't get a power. He's also one of the extremely small number of people who are ''lutum informis'', which means the [[BioAugmentation toy maker]] is ineffective on him.
84	** Artemis Butler has it worse. He's also ''lutum informis'', but in his case, he ''needs'' the toy maker in order to survive. Thankfully, it's not completely useless on him, but he still spends an annoying amount of time getting modified just to stay ahead of his various disorders.
85	* Jacinda's younger sister in ''Firelight''. They both come from a tribe of humanoids who can take on a dragon-like form and gain special powers at the beginning of adolescence (such as the ability to turn invisible, breathe underwater, etc.) Jace gets the rarest and most prized ability: to breathe fire. Tamra doesn't even get the ability to turn into a dragon.
86	* Happens to Gypsum [=LaZelle=] in ''Literature/AFistfulOfSky'' by Nina Kiriki Hoffman. Everyone in her family inherits powers from an early age, but she's made it to age 20 without getting any. When she finally does, it's the power of [[BlessedWithSuck having to curse people. Frequently. Or else she dies.]]
87	* They have a name for this type of person in ''Literature/HarryPotter'' -- a Squib.
88	** Neville Longbottom's family thought he was one until he was eight when his grandfather pushed him out a window to see if it'd cause his powers to save him. Thankfully, they did. In his grandfather's defense, he didn't ''purposely'' drop him out a window. He'd been dangling him out it to try and trigger a magical response, and was distracted.
89	** As well as the inversion: The muggle-born are witches and wizards from completely normal families.
90	** An interesting example with [[spoiler: Petunia Dursley who was quite jealous that her sister became a witch while she didn't. Instead of learning to accept it, she becomes bitter towards the entire wizarding world (granted the fact that magic got her sister ''killed'' may have contributed) and badly mistreats Harry while raising him.]]
91	* In Creator/MercedesLackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' novels, the Call comes in the form of a beautiful white horse(-like magical being). The not-Called or not-yet-Called deal with it in various ways. Princess Elspeth, who needs a Call in order to be the rightful Heir, spends her time lurking around the pasture... just in case.
92	* Aerin (from ''Literature/TheHeroAndTheCrown'') was born to the royal family of Damar, known for its hereditary magical abilities, but hers do not awaken until much later after her peers' do. Naturally, her gift is much more potent than theirs.
93	* Lampshaded in Creator/PeterSBeagle's ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'': Schmendrick's master Nikos becomes convinced that Schmendrick's total incompetence at magic is the result of an incredible power within him, and therefore makes him immortal so that he can live long enough to sort it out. [[spoiler: Nikos was right.]]
94	* Lirael of Garth Nix's ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series is a Daughter of the Clayr, a community of clairvoyant (mostly) women. Usually by the time a Clayr is fourteen, she has gained the power of the Sight and is considered an adult. Lirael, however, reaches nineteen without even a glimmer of precognition. (Also, she doesn't even look like any of the other Clayr, who are mostly blonde and blue- or green-eyed and tan easily — Lirael is pale with dark hair and eyes.) It turns out this is because [[spoiler:Lirael is the daughter of an Abhorsen, a mage charged with the responsibility of laying the Dead to rest. (The Old Kingdom is constantly plagued with uprisings by the Dead and various evil sorcerers, so it's a full-time job.) Lirael therefore becomes the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, a successor to the current Abhorsen and her half-sister, Sabriel. She never gains the Sight, but due to her mixed heritage,]] she does get to be a Remembrancer, a mage with the ability to look into the past.
95	* This is the whole point of ''Literature/OrdinaryBoy''. A town full of superpowered people, isolated so that they don't even know that other people in the world do NOT have powers, and he's... Ordinary.
96	* "Shadow on the Moon", a later novella in Zenna Henderson's ''Literature/ThePeople'' series, has Remy, who apparently has no Gift. While all the People have abilities such as levitation and telepathy, The Gift is a specialized power that usually awakens at ten or twelve, and Remy is seventeen. He has no idea that his ability to visualize in three dimensions from an abstract blueprint or diagram ''is'' his Gift, because IThoughtEveryoneCouldDoThat. He's also the first one to have this Gift, they don't even have a name for it.
97	* Gair from Creator/DianaWynneJones's ''Literature/PowerOfThree'' is the only one of his siblings who doesn't have a Gift. His sister Ayna has the power of Asked Sight (if asked a question, she knows the answer even if it has yet to happen), his brother Ceri has ''two'' Gifts, Finding Sight and Thoughts (a form of transfiguration), but Gair is ordinary. He decides to become a wise man instead [[spoiler:and later develops the rarest - and possibly the most painful - Gift of all, Sight Unasked]].
98	* ''Literature/SeptimusHeap'': Jenna in ''Magyk'' has no '''Magykal''' powers and is not particularly happy. [[FridgeLogic Whether her backstory still makes sense in this context is best left unanswered]].
99	* In ''Literature/ShamanOfTheUndead'', Ida's ghost-seeing powers didn't manifest until she was 21, to the great regret of her parents, both powerful wizards. For some time, they were actually confident her gift ''did'' manifest and she was hiding it from them, leading to them putting her in bizarre DieOrFly situations so that she'd be forced to use it. Thankfully, nothing permanent happened.
100	** Tekla actually suggested that it's not the case and Ida always had the skill, but her family house's wards were preventing the ghosts from coming, effectively ScreeningTheCall.
101	* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'': In ''Literature/JoinTheResistance'', FirstPersonPeripheralNarrator Mattis Banz is convinced that he's [[spoiler:Force-sensitive, though there's no evidence of it so far in the series.]]
102	* ''Stolen Voices'', by Ellen Dee Davidson, has a protagonist like this. She'd reached the age of maturity for her dystopian society without developing a Talent (a superpower and/or activity she was supernaturally good at; for example, flying or being a FriendToAllLivingThings), but her synesthesia turned out to be a ChekhovsGun. Midway through the book, the possibility's discussed that she has little bits and pieces of Talents because of the peculiar behaviour of a piece of AppliedPhlebotinum in her presence, but [[spoiler: she actually has some sort of FunctionalMagic based on controlling sound.]]
103	* ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}'' starts out this way, sort of. Some [[OurDragonsAreDifferent breeds of dragons]] have breath weapons. Temeraire is identified as a breed that does not, and he is disappointed. At the end of the first book, [[spoiler: we learn that the dragon expert misidentified his breed, and, in an example of an almost literal DeusExMachina, Temeraire actually can generate something called the "divine wind", a sort of supercharged roar which shatters wood, eardrums, and at point-blank range even the ground.]]
104	* In ''Literature/VampireAcademy'', all young [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Moroi]] have elemental magic from birth, but in their adolescence, they "specialize" when [[ElementalPowers one element of the four]] grows much stronger than the other three. Lissa, the protagonist's best friend, is gradually growing depressed because she still hasn't specialized at age sixteen, but we later learn that this is because [[spoiler:she has specialized in spirit, a forgotten fifth element few people have nowadays, which involves uber-powerful abilities like MindControl and [[BackFromTheDead raising people from the dead.]] Unfortunately for Lissa, side effects include [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity mental instability.]]]]
105	* ''Literature/TheWitchlands'': In ''Sightwitch'', Ryber Fortiza is growing desperate because she is the only one of the Sightwitch novices who hasn't been summoned into the mountain by their goddess to be empowered. [[spoiler:When she is left alone as ''all'' of the other Sightwitch Sisters are summoned, she grows despondent. She eventually discovers that, like the most famous Sightwitch in history, she will not gain the Sight, but she has other talents, and sets off on a quest to save the world.]]
106	* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' second-generation capes tend to trigger easily and third-generation capes even more so. This leaves Theo, son of Kaiser and grandson of Allfather, a peculiarity. The Pure capes eventually suss out it's because Kayden and her friends were always there for him so he never reached the right [[TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening state of mind to trigger.]] [[spoiler:They abandon him to be captured by the PRT, where he eventually triggers.]]
107	* Bink of Piers Anthony's ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' series is the only person without a magical talent. Although we find out [[spoiler:Bink had a passive Magician-class talent all along, it was just hidden until another Magician -- Trent -- noticed it was negating his active Talent. It turns out that Bink has perhaps the most powerful Talent of all: he cannot be harmed by anything magical. And since in Xanth nearly ''everything'' is magical, his Talent makes him almost invincible. The reason it was hidden is that the Talent doesn't directly negate anything, but just shifts probability in his favor so as to avoid detection (which could result in somebody finding a non-magical weapon to use against him. In his duel with Trent, though, he was attacked by such powerful magic that his Talent had to generate increasingly more improbable events to save him, thus allowing both Trent and Bink to figure out what was happening.]]
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
111	* Xander in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. He complains about being powerless, but his very humanness is the only thing that stops [[spoiler: Willow's rampage.]]
112	** Later, when [[spoiler: the potentials are close to abandoning Buffy, his speech turns them from it. However, after he loses an eye in battle, they do abandon her. It's revealed his humanity is what's been keeping this volatile group together.]]
113	** In the final battle against Glorificus, he knocks her down by blindsiding her with a ''wrecking ball.''
114	--->'''Xander:''' Score one for the glorified bricklayer.
115	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Poor Amy Pond has to wait fourteen years to travel with the Doctor (from around seven to her early twenties)... and he picks her up on the eve of her wedding. Though it's mostly due to the fact that the Doctor can't keep track of dates.
116	* ''Series/Extraordinary2023'': In a world where most of the population gets powers by 18, Jen, at 25, is still powerless. While she is not the only one, she is still in a rather small minority. She spends time trying to deal with this and with the powers of those around her.
117	* Boom in ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'' would give anything to be a Power Ranger, but he flunked out of the academy. This season has ''fourteen'' Rangers (seven regulars, two one-shots, and five PsychoRangers). Boom isn't among them. However, it's his undying faith in and support of the Power Rangers combined with his normal status that makes him the one to deliver an awesome speech in the finale that gets all the other people in S.P.D. to band together.
118	* ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'': Wednesday's roommate Enid is a werewolf without the ability to transform; growing her fingernails out into claws is as close as she can get to "wolfing out." It makes her stand out as one of the least supernatural people at Evermore Academy--whose student body includes gorgons and sirens--but most of the angst comes from her mother, who blames her for being behind developmentally and plans to send her to a conversion camp. [[spoiler:Come the season finale when Wednesday is in trouble, of course she wolfs out for real.]]
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
122	* In ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'', the Realm of the Dragon-blooded functions like this. Not every child with the blood Exalts, but quite a few do. Therefore, those who do not Exalt tend to fall under the [[TheUnfavorite worst-case scenario]], unless they Exalt as a Celestial...in which case they get both the "better & rarer" powers and the instant enmity of their entire Empire.
123	** A temporary version of this trope is also a key part of Green Sun Prince's Exaltations. Namely, the person in question comes into a situation where they would normally receive their shard, but the Yozi's influence deliberately holds it back so that the person's actions without the boost may be observed.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Video Games]]
127	* In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', The Kingdom of Zeal was a society where, if you didn't demonstrate magical talent at some point, they kicked you out of the magical floating paradise and force you to live on the cursed Earth below. Magus was born there and actually ''had'' very powerful magic (something lost in the original translation), but he refused to use it as a child because of his AxCrazy mom.
128	* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsKnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', The Disciple Mical was a TragicDropout from the Jedi Academy as the Jedi CivilWar left nobody able to help him continue his training. He ends up becoming a soldier for TheRepublic instead, but [[TheChosenWannabe continues his fascination with Jedi history and philosophy]], seeking to preserve their teachings after ThePurge. However if TheExile [[MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers is female he joins the party]] and receives the MyGreatestSecondChance he always dreamed of, before canonically going to sit on the Jedi High Council.
129	* In ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters'', [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Odie]] has a massive inferiority complex due to this. [[spoiler: He turns out to be the BlackSheep of a clan of powerful wizards who flunked out of the academy]]. In practice, he falls into the category of late bloomer and is [[GameplayAndStorySegregation actually a powerful ally]], albeit one who suffers from CutsceneIncompetence (implied to be largely due to said inferiority complex).
130	* Link in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', unlike all the other Kokiri, hasn't gotten his fairy yet. It later turns out this is because he [[spoiler:isn't a Kokiri at all]], and plays the BestForLast portion of the trope straight. Link also is worthy of wielding the Master Sword, but because he is too young and not strong enough to actually wield it, the sword puts Link in stasis and has to wait seven years to actually be able to use it on his quest. [[spoiler:Ganondorf expected this and uses the opportunity to take over Hyrule while Link is out of commission.]]
131	* In ''VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}}'', Zeke complains about this several times. Cole got [[ShockAndAwe crazy useful lightning powers]] thanks to the Ray Sphere, along with several other people. But Zeke didn't, which prompts a FaceHeelTurn when Zeke tries to use another Ray Sphere to give himself powers, which Cole notes as "asshole makes the choice to kill thousands" to get superpowers. And even then, [[AllForNothing it doesn't work.]] [[spoiler:This is because Zeke doesn't have the conduit gene in his body, so he can simply never get powers like that, no matter what. This leads to a falling out between Cole and Zeke, especially after Trish dies as an unintended consequence of Zeke's turn.]]
132	[[/folder]]
133
134	[[folder:Webcomics]]
135	* ''Webcomic/ApricotCookies'': Apricot is the only girl in Japan who can't transform into a MagicalGirlWarrior.
136	* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Agatha Heterodyne thinks she's an incompetent who can't build anything that works, or even express especially strong emotions (according to the novel of the comic) without suffering debilitating headaches. Turns out her long-lost uncle and her [[ParentalSubstitute parents]] were ScreeningTheCall.
137	* ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'': Whereas all the other classes get fancy powers, the Page class is described as consisting of nothing but untapped potential, meaning Pages are relatively pathetic until they hit a high enough level and become terrifyingly strong. Or, this being ''Homestuck'', [[AnyoneCanDie get gruesomely murdered first]].
138	** The Heir class seems to work similarly, but Heirs are apparently ''guaranteed'' to reach the point at which their powers mature. Which, as noted above, can make a world of difference.
139	* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'': Ritsu always assumed that he'd develop PsychicPowers like his older brother Mob; but as his powers fail to show up over the years and a traumatic childhood accident shows him just how [[PersonOfMassDestruction explosively powerful]] Mob's own powers are, Ritsu goes from impatient to desperate as he becomes aware of just how helpless he would be to stop his brother if he ever lost control of or chose to abuse his powers. [[spoiler:He finally does grow into his powers at age thirteen, but thanks to years of festering resentment, Ritsu immediately goes on a power trip and lashes out at his brother, finally feeling "safe" to openly express his bitterness and frustration.]]
140	[[/folder]]
141
142	[[folder:Western Animation]]
143	* In ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'', Virgil has superpowers while his friend Richie doesn't. In season three, Richie also develops superpowers as a delayed reaction to the initial exposure to [[AppliedPhlebotinum Bang Gas]] and repeated exposure to Virgil. Lampshaded:
144	-->'''Virgil:''' My clothes ''reek'' of the stuff! Maybe some of it rubbed off onto you!
145	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': [[BadassNormal Sokka]] was speaking the truth at the time of the page quote. A quarter or more of all people in his world ''are'', like him, without powers, but he is the only character among the main protagonists who isn't a bender and cannot become one. However, this only serves to distract the people around him from the simple fact that he is the only trained leader or warrior in the main group. His friends would be in deep trouble without his skills, and by the end of the series (actually, of that very episode!), he's packing a sword made of ThunderboltIron and has been trained by a MasterSwordsman. Although WordOfGod has it that like his sister, he actually ''did'' have Waterbending potential, but never realized it. Maybe something to do with calling bending "magic" all those years...
146	** Sokka tends to forget it at times, but his [[GuileHero quick thinking]] and [[IndyPloy improvised plans]] are essential to making it through a lot of episodes, such as tricking the master firebenders into opening the fire-locked door that required ''five'' benders to open when only one was willing to help the Avatar.
147	* The Cutie Mark Crusaders from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are late bloomers. They don't know what [[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife their talent in life is and are looking around desperately to find one.]] This portrayal is probably unique in that SelectiveObliviousness is the only reason they don't have it.
148	** Not to mention a generous helping of AesopAmnesia making them forget the "take things slowly" lesson they've been served several times by now.
149	** Doubling down on the trope, there is also the fact that Scootaloo, despite being a pegasus, cannot yet fly - and it's hinted that she might ''never'' be able to do so.
150	[[/folder]]

Context Main / TheCallPutMeOnHold