-->''"Normal? [[IJustWantToBeSpecial Who wants to be normal]]?! If you're not a hero, you're a zero."''\\
--Ben, ''{{Ben 10}}''

-->''"Why? I'll tell you why! Because I'm brave! Because I crave adventure! Because I need to go where no bobcat has ever gone before! And because I'm a hero for crying out loud!"''\\
--Bubsy, ''{{Bubsy the Bobcat}} cartoon pilot''

-->''"If there is one thing I've learned it's that when destiny calls, you answer the phone!"''\\
--Hiro, ''Series/{{Heroes}}''

For some heroes, when they receive the CallToAdventure, they [[RefusalOfTheCall refuse the call]]. When they finally accept the call, they continue to complain that "IJustWantToBeNormal".

Heroes that JumpedAtTheCall wonder what's wrong with those people.

These heroes are excited when adventure comes calling. They never, ever, ''ever'' say "IJustWantToBeNormal". They already have a costume, already picked out a codename, and they have been practicing how to deliver a PreAssKickingOneLiner. They're already swallowing the [[RedPillBluePill red pill]] before you can even offer them the blue. About the worst thing you could do to them is to [[BroughtDownToNormal bring them down to normal.]] Or tell them someone else MissedTheCall. They don't even care that [[SourSupporter more experienced people are reluctant]]; LeastIsFirst.

Often, had a ChangelingFantasy once upon a time, and generally has {{otaku}} tendencies. He is truly [[AscendedFanboy living the dream]]. Such a hero is also the most likely to be TheUnchosenOne, the Chosen hero that chooses himself.

However, you can also be [[AmbitionIsEvil TOO eager]] to jump, and end up [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope jumping off]] ''[[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope a cliff]]''. Beware shady strangers offering you everything you want. GenreSavvy bad guys, especially the [[{{Satan}} Big D]], will try to get you to [[MissedTheCall miss the real call]] by [[DealWithTheDevil jumping at theirs instead]].

When a hero is given a chance at returning to heroism and jumps at it, he is usually in love with being InHarmsWay. Neophytes might think themselves in love with it, and may actually turn out to be, but they may also discover, after real adventures, that they do not love it after all.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime/Manga ]]

* Takamachi Nanoha from ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha''. At the age of nine, she was already DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife.
* Yui Kasuga from ''CorrectorYui'' was an {{Otaku}} obsessed with {{Magical Girl}}, and loved the idea of being one herself.
* Though Minto Aizawa in ''TokyoMewMew'' wasn't happy about working with Ichigo at first, manga extras note that she thought it was her destiny to become Mew Mint and was even secretly delighted, which fits well with her reaction to her object of affection's RefusalOfTheCall.
* Subverted in ''TheTwelveKingdoms'': the GenreSavvy Yuka Sugimoto is thrilled at the prospect of being the heroine of a TrappedInAnotherWorld adventure story when a mysterious blond {{Bishonen}} and a flying monster or two show up at her high school... except she isn't and they weren't there for ''her''. The ''real'' heroine of the story, her classmate Youko Nakajima, has a typical (and one might say extreme) RefusalOfTheCall reaction to the early events of the series. Unfortunately, [[spoiler: Yuka's stubborn insistence that ''she'' was the one being called causes her to act as an antagonist]] for a significant chunk of the first StoryArc. [[spoiler: To her merit, opnce she ''does'' realize how mistaken she was, Yuka conceeds and goes back home, letting Yoko take over.]]
* {{Antihero}} example: Alucard of ''{{Hellsing}}'' isn't really a hero, but he's willing to do heroic deeds just for the action. ''Very'' willing. Enough that one of his catchphrases is ''demanding'' he be given an order by [[TheKidWithTheLeash his master]].
* Kazuki from ''ParallelTroubleAdventureDual'' provides an excellent example of this. The second-in-command of Sanada's organization prepares a long, overwrought speech trying to convince him to fight in a mecha on behalf of their organization, and she is barely able to get five words out before Kazuki readily agrees.
* Gai Daigoji from ''MartianSuccessorNadesico'' (real name: Jiro Yamada, but he didn't think that sounded heroic enough) is so eager to be a [[HumongousMecha giant robot]] pilot that he arrives to his post three days ahead of schedule. He promptly breaks his leg from showing off (literally).
* ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'' fits this trope ''so much'' that instead of waiting for [[CallToAdventure the Call]], she actually goes out ''looking'' for it (never realizing that it could be behind her back the whole time).
* The main protagonist from the anime ''{{MAR}}'' (Marchen Awakens Romance) does not seem to be bothered one whit that he was sucked into a magical world of adventure without his consent. Indeed, he rather enjoys the new life he finds there.
** When a shopkeeper informs him that the particular ARM he's looking for (Monpierre Blanc, which can send him back home) isn't in her selection and would probably be far too rare and expensive to just buy somewhere, he's relieved; he'd been worried his adventure would end too soon.
* Asuka from ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' has been a Mecha pilot most of her life and revels in it. In fact, facing alien invaders is about the only thing she doesn't complain about. Finding herself paired up with a reluctant hero who is all "IJustWantToBeNormal" (Shinji) leads to a certain amount of tension. Add in an EmotionlessGirl, and the whole gig starts to lose its luster. When it starts to become clear that she isn't TheChosenOne and is likely to end up a {{Sidekick}} at best, she starts down the HourglassPlot path, ending up in MindRape and ConvenientComa.
* Midori in ''{{Mai-HiME}}'' is not only enthusiastic about her powers, but also seems to think she's ''SailorMoon'', complete with the "V" gesture, [[InTheNameOfTheMoon over-the-top introductions]], and [[RousingSpeech inspirational speeches]] about justice and friendship. Doubly ironic because not only is the series notably devoid of all that (and is significantly darker), but also because the original [[IJustWantToBeNormal just wanted to be normal]].
* Princess Amelia from ''TheSlayers'' is Jumping at the Call as well. Despite being a magical princess in a fantasy setting, she draws up long speeches about Justice, [[CallingYourAttacks names attacks]] -- like punching someone really hard -- and generally tries to be a {{superhero}}. She also always [[IHaveTheHighGround has the high ground]] (even if she tends to fall off of it). This is largely because she's a parody of ''SailorMoon''.
** Admittedly, this seems to be a family trait - her father does exactly the same thing.
** Prince Phil (Ameila's dad) went so far as to fake his death and start running around the rooftops in a ''frikkin' Batman costume''. Despite being the bloomin' ''King''!!
* Who could forget (the great) Kamina(-sama) of ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''? When a giant mech, technology that was completely unknown, drops into their underground village, he stands up to it and threatens it with a completely ordinary katana, heroic speech at hand. Even after the girl with the absurdly powerful rifle, also unknown technology to the village, barely damages it. Then again, ''KatanasAreJustBetter''. This is just the start - his entire job in the series seems to be heroic speeches and epic-but-ridiculous action, down to [[CallingYourAttacks called attacks]] like the "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?! KICK!".
* In ''[[YesPrecure5 Yes! Precure 5]]'', Nozomi JumpedAtTheCall before she even knew there ''was'' one, and in fact this is what brings the CallToAdventure ''to'' her.
* After seeing Shizuru effortlessly demolish a fleet of battleships in the first episode of ''{{Mai-Otome}}'', Arika made the decision on the spot to start her path toward becoming a full-fledged Otome just like Shizuru, as part of her journey to find her long-missing mother.
* While it would be considered normal within the context of the involved world, Ash Ketchum of {{Pokemon}} jumps at any chance to test his skills as a Pokemon Trainer, visiting whatever lands on his [[TheQuest quest]] [[ToBeAMaster to become the Pokemon Master]].
* Chiko, from ''TheDaughterOfTwentyFaces''. Never has a "kidnapping victim" been so willing.
* Monkey D. Luffy from ''OnePiece''. Can you picture him wanting to be anything but a pirate?
** Interestingly, a early short story that would later evolve into ''OnePiece'' exists. After eating the Devil Fruit and losing the ability to swim, he tells his grandfather (who owned the fruit) he's fine with it since he doesn't want to become a pirate anyway. However, at the end of the story his cool slips and he admits he's devastated since he wants to become a pirate more than anything. (As this doesn't match Luffy's backstory in the series, this cannot be considered canon.)
* Several characters in ''MahouSenseiNegima'', [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters unsurprisingly]]. Haruna stands out, as when the {{Masquerade}} is broken for her, she ''threatens to torture her three best friends'' for not letting her in on it sooner.
** It took her half a picosecond to immediately snog Negi when she learned this would give her magic powers. When this failed to work the first time ([[TeamPet Chamo]] didn't have the contracting spell ready), the only reason it took her a little longer to snog him ''again'' was because Negi was ''running scared'' by then and she had to catch him first.
* The ''DigimonFrontier'' kids had to follow the directions of a literal call on their cellphones to make it to the Digital World, but [[TheHero Takuya]] was the one who actually jumped. Also, Daisuke, Miyako and Iori from ''DigimonAdventure02'', although the last two almost immediately regretted it and while they never quite made it to IJustWantToBeNormal, they never managed to be as gung-ho as Daisuke in the most critical moments.
* Kenji in ''[[KotetsuJeeg Koutetsushin Jeeg]]'' - much to the surprise of the base staff, who had a big "I know this isn't going to be easy for you" speech lined up.
** It should be noted that Kenji, while HotBlooded, isn't [[IdiotHero the brightest star in the sky]] (even compared to your average Super Robot pilot) IfYouKnowWhatIMean.
*** Like many GoNagai heroes. *shrugs*
* [[DeathNote Light Yagami]]: "I just killed two men... no wait... this is exactly what I've been thinking about lately. The world is rotting and those who are making it rot deserve to die!" Normal kid to AGodAmI in less than a 5-minute sequence.
* Yuji Sakai from ''ShakuganNoShana'', once he learns that he's just a Torch and will disappear one of these days, figures that he'd rather do something else than just waiting until he disappears, and does what he can to aid the titular ActionGirlfriend, Shana.
* Would ''you'' run after the girl that just stapled your mouth and told you to not involve yourself with her in order to offer her help? [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/Bakemonogatari Araragi's]] ''charm'' is in Jumping At The [[strike: Call]] Sight of an Oddity.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* Jakita Wagner in Warren Ellis's comic-book series ''{{Planetary}}'' is an example of this, but not out of a sense of heroism. At one point in the series, she gets to destroy several thirty-foot mutant ants with her bare hands. Though she doesn't say anything, the expression on her face in the close-ups clearly reads "I have the best job in the world."
-->'''Elijah:''' Why'd you join? The money or the secrecy your Fourth Man can buy?
-->'''Jakita:''' Neither. I get bored easily. Planetary stops me getting bored.
** In a nice cross-trope subversion in one issue, she's all happy and feeling good after saving the RedShirt helicopter pilot from exploding.
* GuyGardner in TheDCU. Not only does he revel in being a GreenLantern, but whenever his powers get [[BroughtDownToNormal taken away]], he goes out and finds ''entirely new powers''. He even spent a brief period as a BadAssNormal before ExecutiveMeddling gave him tattoos and morphing powers. Guy didn't just jump at The Call, he tackled it and made it his bitch.
* {{DC Comics}}' Eddie Bloomberg wanted to be a superhero so badly that he built his own power suit at the age of 12 and dubbed himself [[Comicbook/TeenTitans Kid Devil]], Blue Devil's sidekick.
* In the Marvel line ''{{Young Avengers}}'' the titular young avengers are often described as super-powered fanboys, especially Billy (Wiccan) and Teddy (Hulkling). The first five members of the team had pretty strong ties to the original Avengers that fueled their desire to become superheroes, and although Kate (the fifth member) had no such ties, she was pretty set on becoming a hero as well.
* SquirrelGirl. Her entire existence revolves around this trope. When she met IronMan in her first appearance, she was a fourteen year old girl who had already created her own costume, her own power set and her own code name, and she desperately tried to become Iron Man's sidekick. After moving to New York she protected Central Park from muggers. After [[GreatLakesAvengers GLA, er GLX-, now GLC, yes GLI]] asked her to join their team she quickly agreed, not even bothering to consider asking her parents. What a trooper!
* Kyle Rayner. A “blue midget in a dress” gives him a ring and he’s not sure what is going on but thinks it is way cool that when he puts on the ring his clothes change. Then his girlfriend points out that is Green Lantern’s costume and Kyle gets even more enthusiastic. Even after his girlfriend became the original definition of Women in Refrigerators Kyle still told both Ganthet and Hal Jordan to get stuffed when they wanted the ring back rather than take the chance to back away from the call.
* Angela Spica of TheAuthority decided as a child that she was going to be a superhero when she grew up. As soon as she designed the technology, she exchanged her blood for nine pints of liquid nanotech, called herself The Engineer, and got right on saving the world (and overthrowing a few sovereign nations that pissed her off). Unique among her teammates, she both chose to be a superhero AND didn't regret the choice the minute the consequences kicked in. Catchphrase: "This is the best job in the world."
*In ''{{Runaways}}'', Molly Hayes is very enthusiastic about superheroing. She's reduced to awkward FingerTwiddling when she realizes no one else came up with a costume.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* Robert Parr aka Mr. Incredible from ''TheIncredibles''. When he was forced to retire, he didn't fall into civilian life like other heroes did (like his wife Helen, alias Elastigirl, and his best friend Lucius alias Frozone) and missed the action. So much in fact, that he jumped at an opportunity that turned out [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor too good to be true]].
** This was subverted in the opening act, with Mr. Incredible saying in an interview that he doesn't see himself doing superhero work forever, and Elastigirl boasting about being on top of her game and not about to quit. They end up switching attitudes when they're later forced to act normal.
* Johnny Storm in the 2005 ''Film/FantasticFour'' film. One of the few positive points critics cited towards the film was the refreshing portrayal, away from the more depressing, [[{{wangst}} wangsty]] examples, such as that of ''{{Film/Spider-Man}}''.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Stephanie Edgely, the 12-year old heroine of the book SkulduggeryPleasant, is only too glad to enter a fantastic world of magic, living skeletons, and vampiric museum guards.
** Its subverted in the second book where many charecters point out that Stephanie appears a bit ''too'' eager to join the supernatural world, and misses out on a lot of experiences with her family and people her own age and they try to explain to her that this is not a good thing (to little avail). Its most poignantly illustrated when the mirror image she sends to live her normal life tells her at one point that she has no friends at school (something she had been unaware of).
* In ''[[PrydainChronicles The Chronicles of Prydain]]'', Taran jumped ''into'' the (literal) thornbush of adventure. When older and more experienced, he looked back at that incident of a sign of what an impulsive idiot he was when all he wanted was an adventure.
* Lampshaded in one of ''TheExecutioner'' novels. A female journalist asks VigilanteMan Mack Bolan why he's engaged in his RoaringRampageOfRevenge against TheMafia. Bolan replies that he was "simply the one there when the duty roster was handed out". When she scoffs at this answer, Bolan replies that, just as it's ridiculous for him to assume she should give up her career in journalism and become a housewife, it's ridiculous for her to think he'll forsake his far-more extensive military skills (which he lists in detail) and ignore what the mob is doing to his own country.
* Sam Gamgee in TheLordOfTheRings is thrilled by the prospect of "going to see Elves and all." Merry and Pippin are also insist on coming along - and even have a "conspiracy" set up to keep Frodo from leaving the Shire without them - but that's more the PowerOfFriendship.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* ''{{Series/Heroes}}'':
** Hiro Nakamura recognised his powers the second he got them, and did everything he could to develop them so he could become a SuperHero. He didn't just jump at the call, he'd spent his life sitting by the phone.
** Early in the series, Peter Petrelli shows similar tendencies, spouting lines like "Do you ever think you were meant for something greater?" to then-strangers.
** Matt Parkman, to a lesser extent.
**Gabriel Gray would give up his abilities in a heartbeat for a little approval. When he remakes himself as Sylar, however, he not only jumps at his call but at anyone else's he can get his hands on.
* The Doctor (''DoctorWho'') didn't jump at the call, he stole a TARDIS and went looking for it.
** [[spoiler:Donna Noble]] in the latest series of ''DoctorWho'': after meeting the Doctor once and turning down an invitation to travel with him, she decides she's made a mistake and begins actively seeking out the paranormal and the just plain ''weird'', on the theory that she's bound to run into him at ''some'' point. When she eventually does, it turns out that she's also been [[CrazyPrepared traveling around with a full set of luggage]], just in case. This makes her ultimate fate of [[spoiler: VictoryGuidedAmnesia]] especially sad.
** On a related note, both Rose and Martha from ''DoctorWho'' also jumped at the call: Rose, in particular, made a point of saying that she "wouldn't have missed it for the world".
* Faith's far more enthusiastic acceptance of being TheChosenOne compared to Buffy in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Of course it turned out she just [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope enjoyed the power]].
** In the seventh-season episode "Potential", [[spoiler:this trope is turned on its head when Dawn at first jumps at the Call - after all, she's one of the only non-powered people among a bunch of superheroes, and the youngest to boot! - only to find out that the Call ''wasn't for her after all''. Talk about a downer. Then again, in the Season 8 comics she gets [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever perhaps more than she bargained for...]]]]
* Mack from ''PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'' jumps at the call to become Red Ranger. This is against his father's wishes, as said father was originally going to be Red himself before his son snuck the morpher out from under him. This is notable within PR because 95% of Rangers over the course of the franchise either [[RefusalOfTheCall refuse the call]] initially or accept with IJustWantToBeNormal undertones.
* ''{{Main/Supernatural}}'':
** While his brother, Sam, instead jumped at the chance to go to college, Dean stayed on with hunting and loved it. (This was before he [[{{Break The Cutie}} got broke]]. Now he's not exactly so eager about it.) Arguably this could be more because he followed his Dad's orders without question and couldn't even comprehend disobeying than anything to do with noble heroics.
*** And it took a confused English teacher at a random school to teach Sam that he -could- go to college himself.
** And then there's Jimmy, who didn't so much jump at the chance [[spoiler:to serve God as Castiel's vessel]] as wildly fling himself at it. It's kind of an understatement just to say[[spoiler:he actually prayed for this...]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* SamAndMax will take any case from anyone (as long as they get paid) and [[RunningGag always]] eagerly fight to answer the phone when it starts ringing. Sam always wins.
** Except when the timestream was messed with, or when [[CueTheFlyingPigs hell froze over.]]
* Dante of the ''DevilMayCry'' series loves his work and actively flaunts his powers whenever possible.
* Joe of ''ViewtifulJoe'', who had watched ''tokusatsu'' films and TV shows all his life and actively embraced his own chance to be an action hero.
* Zack from ''Crisis Core: FinalFantasyVII'', and to an initially less-successful extent, Cloud.
* Tidus in ''FinalFantasyX'' is generally unconcerned about suddenly being yanked out of his world, and eagerly follows Yuna around even after initially being told he cant't be one of her guardians.
** In the sequel, all it takes is one blurry, ancient sphere of someone who looks kind of like Tidus for Yuna to put on a {{Stripperiffic}} outfit, strap on a pair of pistols, and start globetrotting.
* Riku of ''KingdomHearts'' felt that there was something more for him beyond his homeworld. He was right. Unfortunately, TheDarkSide was apparently aware of this as well, and Riku was too impatient to wait ''one more night''.
* ''Everyone'' in ''FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'' but Marche and Cid.
** And everyone period in the sequel, especially the protagonist Luso.
* Travis Touchdown of ''NoMoreHeroes'' fame is an otaku who spends 95% of his time watching wrestling tapes, various anime, and occasionally going out and slaughtering en masse. He literally buys a beam katana off of eBay, then when a random woman in a bar asks him to decapitate someone with it, is only too happy to do so. Then again, he also loves to grab the IdiotBall as well.
* Midori 'Dolly' Komaki of ''DevilSurvivor'' is a cosplaying camgirl. Once she witnesses your small band of survivors battling demons with your own summoned {{Mons}}, she squeals at the thought of "real heroes!" and literally snatches up a [=COMP=] of her very own. Unfortunately, she apparently snags an IdiotBall along with it...
* The protagonist in ''QuestForGlory I: So You Want To Be A Hero'' goes out looking for quests to complete so that he can gain the title of hero after graduating from the "Famous Adventurer's Correspondance School".

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* Riff from ''SluggyFreelance'' loves nothing more than [[TimTaylorTechnology building absurdly overpowered weapons]] and [[MoreDakka using them to reduce evil monsters to smithereens]]. If no evil monsters are around, he'll start fiddling around with dimensional portals and BlackMagic rituals until he finds some.
* Rowan in ''Hi to Tsuki to Hoshi no Tama'' is [[http://htht.comicgenesis.com/d/20070531.html a straightforward example]].
* Mr. Mighty from ''EverydayHeroes''. Superpowers run in his family, and he was eager to inherit the name. His daughter, on the other hand, would [[IJustWantToBeNormal rather just be normal]].
* [[MegaTokyo Largo]] not only actively seeks TheCall, he is one of the few people who hears it.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* Himei of ''SailorNothing'' initially jumped at the chance to be a magical girl just like on TV and fight TheHeartless. Unfortunately for her, this turns out to have been a Bad Idea and completely irreversible.
* Chaka, from the webfiction WhateleyUniverse. She gets the hot body she always dreamed of, ass-kicking Ki powers, and the chance to finally tell off her two older siblings.
** Probably more the kick ass body [[spoiler: HE]] dreamed of [[spoiler: touching]] before the call.
** No, definitely the kick-ass body [[spoiler: he]] dreamed of [[spoiler: having]] before the call, because WordOfGod said [[spoiler: he was a very unhappy transgendered boy]].
* As much as Rob from the web fiction serial ''DimensionHeroes'' was reluctant at first, it didn't take him long to realize that kicking inter-dimensional monster butt with futuristic super powers is a lot more fun than sitting around the house all summer.



[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Ben Tennyson from ''{{Ben 10}}''. Watch an episode, ''any'' episode; he's running headlong towards the MonsterOfTheWeek (or a filler fight scene) before the first ad break. He has a code name for ''each'' of his ''many'' alter egos, ''never'' backs down from a fight... and several episodes heavily imply that he'd still like even ''more'' excitement in his life. [[{{Deconstruction}} Deconstructed]] a bit in the MadeForTVMovie ''The Secret Of The Omnitrix'', when Ben has to own up to the selfish and thrill-seeking motivations behind his superheroing.
** In the AlternateUniverse episode "Gwen 10", Gwen, while calmer and more responsible, is simlarly thrilled with the powers of the Omnitrix and the adventure it entails. In the regular universe, she starts learning magic and becomes part of the adventure.
* Coop of [[MegasXLR Megas XLR]], as implied by the opening theme song, digs his giant robot.
* The young Planeteers from ''CaptainPlanet'' fit the trope.
* ''TransformersSuperGodMasterforce'': the kids approach Metalhawk and ''ask'' him for The Call.
* KimPossible first jumped at the call when she saved a millionaire in her first mission, right? Wrong, she first jumped at the call in pre K, defending Ron from three super villains. Typically jumping at the call, literally, is the basis for most of her adventures.
* The titular character in ''{{Manowar}}'''s 'Defender'.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Truth In Television ]]

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanology Project Chanology]]. [[ImageBoards Of all things.]]
* Charles Darwin jumped at the call when he took the post as the ship's naturalist on board the ''HMS Beagle'', a move which eventually resulted in the development and publication of his revolutionary Theory of Natural Selection.

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<<|CharactersAsDevice|>>
<<|TheHerosJourney|>>
<<|HeroTropes|>>
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