Line #26 PlayingWith/BroughtDownToBadass


1	'''Basic Trope''': Even after losing their powers, they can ''still'' kick your ass.
2	* '''Straight''': [[TheBrute Electro-Man]], secret identity [[BarbaricBully Flash Young]], can normally use [[ShockAndAwe electricity]] to fight against fellow supers. However, once he's been hit by the {{water tower\|down}} and subsequently BroughtDownToNormal, it turns out that Electro-Man isn't just a capable electricity user, but he's also an incredibly skilled BoxingBattler with SuperStrength, SuperToughness, SuperSpeed, SuperReflexes, all coming from his CharlesAtlasSuperpower to boot.
3	* '''Exaggerated''': Electro-Man could easily take in energy that could rival ''stars'' and send them back out in the form of extremely concentrated and high voltage lightning, but even once he's completely {{depower}}ed, he's still capable of taking down even the most skilled martial artist in history with the most devastating SpeedBlitz {{Armor Piercing\|Attack}} {{Rapid Fire\|Fisticuffs}} {{Megaton Punch}}es.
4	* '''Downplayed''': Electro-Man is UnskilledButStrong both with and without his powers; While he tends to overuse electricity wildly, he's still a credible threat, and even without it, his vicious haymakers could put anyone out of commission.
5	* '''Justified''':
6	** Flash, before becoming Electro-Man, went through TrainingFromHell in order to achieve the aforementioned CharlesAtlasSuperpower.
7	** Electro-Man had been taking up {{Boxing Lessons\|ForSuperman}} in the event that he ''does'' get {{depower}}ed.
8	* '''Inverted''':
9	** Flash was a wimp, and even after getting superpowers, they turn out to be completely {{useless\|superpowers}}.
10	** Flash is an EmpoweredBadassNormal after getting his electric superpowers. Now he can dish out {{Elemental\|Punch}} {{Megaton Punch}}es!
11	* '''Subverted''':
12	** Electro-Man isn't actually all that tough once he's been BroughtDownToNormal.
13	** Electro-Man actually FightsLikeANormal so him being a fisticuffs expert isn't actually all that surprising.
14	* '''Double Subverted''':
15	** [[IAmNotLeftHanded Well, once his opponents start getting cocky, he starts getting dangerous]].
16	** What is surprising is that his electricity doesn't just cover the small area that Flash is in; In case anyone tries sniping him from afar, they're in for a nasty, shocking surprise.
17	* '''Parodied''': Electro-Man's power is pretty much something so hilariously and pitifully embarrassing that he's always a ShrinkingViolet that gets easily defeated if his powers are made fun of, and that the instant he's BroughtDownToNormal, he gets the biggest confidence boost he's ever gotten and swiftly starts opening cans of whoopass everywhere.
18	* '''Zig-Zagged''': Whether or not Flash is any more badass with or without his powers is DependingOnTheWriter.
19	* '''Averted''':
20	** Flash doesn't have any superpowers, and is a BadassNormal.
21	** Electro-Man can only be BroughtDownToNormal, in which his opponents can invoke YoureNothingWithoutYourPhlebotinum.
22	* '''Enforced''':
23	** The writers have written Flash already, and have upgraded him to Electro-Man later in the story. In one specific part of the later half of the story, Flash gets splashed with purified water [[BroughtDownToNormal which dampens his electricity if not nullifying it outright]]. Now, since he's already been established to be a BadassNormal, it's time for the writers to make a CallBack to Flash's fighting skills.
24	** The writers have written Electro-Man to have been BroughtDownToNormal, but they still want him to win this fight, or at least go down with a vicious one. They then turn to this trope.
25	* '''Lampshaded''':
26	** "HAH! [[PitifulWorms Y'all are just a buncha' dumb fuckin' bugs]]! [[DidYouActuallyBelieve Thought that merely bringin' me down to normal's gonna make be cower an' beg fer mercy]]!? How foolish of y'all! BringIt, fucko's! '''''[[LetsGetDangerous THIS PARTY'S JUST GETTIN' STARTED!!!]]'''''"
27	** "Damn, has he been training for the day he loses his powers?!"
28	* '''Invoked''':
29	** Flash goes through TrainingFromHell willingly just in case he ever loses his powers.
30	** Electro-Man is given some training regimens for physical prowess in order to build up a CharlesAtlasSuperpower in the event he loses his own electric powers.
31	* '''Exploited''': Flash takes his opponents by surprise, especially if they think PowersDoTheFighting and that he'd be useless without them.
32	* '''Defied''': Flash is crippled after getting BroughtDownToNormal, preventing him from being badass in the first place. And no, not even of the HandicappedBadass kind.
33	* '''Discussed''':
34	** "Damn it! I thought bringing him down to normal would actually make him useless, but he's still kicking!"
35	** Flash is seen discussing this with other villains (also in their secret identities) at some bar, restaurant, or any other villainous hideout.
36	--> '''Flash''': I think y'all should uhhh... Prolly start trainin', so that once they bring ya down t'normal, ya can still kick some mighty fine ass.
37	--> '''[[TheJuggernaut Hellraiser]]''': I have no powers to speak of. At least if you do not count being [[SuperStrength incredibly mighty]] and [[SuperToughness almost impossible to put down]] as [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower powers]].
38	* '''Conversed''': "Damn, this guy actually can put up a fight even without powers! Now that's a badass character if I've ever seen one!"
39	* '''Implied''':
40	** Electro-Man is pretty much always seen with his powers, but every character doesn't think to just take his powers away.
41	** Electro-Man is pretty much always seen without his powers, which begs the question of [[NonIndicativeName why he even chose the name "Electro-Man" in the first place]].
42	* '''Played for Laughs''': Electro-Man had [[WaterTowerDown a nearby water tower brought down upon him]], putting a severe damper upon his electricity, as it pitifully fizzles out. Everyone begins acting like they just defeated Electro-Man... Only for him to nonchalantly pick [[HulkMashUp The Awe-Inspiring Dolt]] up and [[GrievousHarmWithABody hurl the poor bastard right]] at [[SpiderManSendUp Tarantu-Dude]].
43	* '''Played for Drama''':
44	** (also Inverted) Electro-Man ''seems'' to have a non-indicative name, being a {{Boxing Battl\|er}}ing [[TheBrute Brute]] (and a scarily capable one at that), but once he finally gets his powers back, he's pretty much a god of lightning.
45	** Electro-Man is undeniably one of the scariest villains in the work. His lightning powers is scary on their own, but once he's been BroughtDownToNormal, everyone's too tired to even stand up, let alone fight, as Electro-Man promptly starts beating them down with his fists.
46	* '''Played for Horror''': Electro-Man doesn't seem to have pretty good electric skills, but once he's been brought to normal, the first thing he does is [[MegatonPunch casually obliterate the nearest person with an earthquake shattering punch]] that swiftly turns them into LudicrousGibs.
47	* '''Deconstructed''':
48	** Electro-Man focuses so much on being a badass especially without his powers that he neglects them, making the powers even weaker.
49	** Electro-Man completely neglects the fact that he's a badass without his electric powers, and as a result, his hand-to-hand combat skill is rusty.
50	* '''Reconstructed''': (For both) Which is exactly why he goes through TrainingFromHell to train both his powers ''and'' his hand-to-hand combat skill.
51	----
52	Back to the [[BroughtDownToBadass still surprisingly competent yet powerless main page here]].
53	----

Context PlayingWith / BroughtDownToBadass