History Main / LeaderWannabe

Compare UnfitForGreatness, contrast ReluctantRuler. If the person who wants to be the leader once ''[[QuicklyDemotedLeader was]]'', they may think that they are StillTheLeader.

-->-- ''Film/{{Serenity}}''

* ''Film/{{Serenity}}'': Jayne tries this at one point when he's disgusted with Mal's leadership, providing the page quote above.

* In ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush Adventure]]'', Marine thinks of herself as being the leader of the heroes, but everyone else thinks of her as being TheLoad.

'''Jayne:''' [[BluntYes Yes]].\\

'''Jayne:''' Yes.\\

* Franchise/GreenLantern Guy Gardner wanted to be the leader of the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational, so he challenged Franchise/{{Batman}}, the current leader, to a fight. Batman then floored Gardner in one punch.
** In ''JLA: Year One'', when on a mission together, Aquaman demands to know why Green Lantern is bossing him around. When Lantern replies "because I'm team leader," Aquaman stares at him then bursts out laughing to say "''Flash'' is the leader, the rest of us agreed on that weeks ago!" To his credit, Green Lantern accepts this, even admitting to Flash that he was messing up because he was trying too hard to assert his "leadership".
* ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, when he joined ComicBook/TheAvengers, spent all his time harassing Captain America.
* ComicBook/{{Iznogoud}} and his "I want to be caliph instead of the Caliph!"
* When [[Comicbook/{{Robin}} Damian Wayne]] briefly joined the ComicBook/TeenTitans (at [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]]-[[TakingUpTheMantle as]]-Franchise/{{Batman}}'s urging), he immediately declared himself leader (since the current Comicbook/{{Robin}} is traditionally the leader of the team), but this led to conflict with the Titans and their actual leader Comicbook/RedRobin, (Tim Drake).

* Sky from ''Series/PowerRangersSPD''. His goal is to become the Red Ranger, like his father before him, but he blows his chance in the premiere due to failing a SecretTestOfCharacter. He finally achieves this in the finale.

Who doesn't want to be TheLeader? Your team/army/country listens to you and respects you, you're the one to come up with the team's attack {{plan}}, and when all of you get publicly recognized, you get most or all of the credit for saving the day because you're [[TheFaceOfTheBand the "face" of the team]].

* ComicBook/{{Iznogoud}} and his "[[CatchPhrase I want to be caliph instead of the Caliph!]]"

[[folder:Web Original]]
* WebOriginal/FortniteLoreSociety: David has tried to position himself in a high role.
[[/folder]]

* In the first season of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'', [[AlphaBitch Heather]] was this. It probably would have gone better if she didn't treat all her teammates like crap.

** In Volume 1, Weiss immediately tries to get herself declared leader of the team over the inexperienced Ruby the day after the role was assigned. She fails because none of her teammates even ''like'' her -- much less wish to follow orders from her -- due to her immense ego. Ultimately, Professor Port points out her poor attitude and explains that leadership has to be earned; she isn't entitled to it, and so she should instead focus on improving herself as a person and aiding Ruby better grow into her position.
** A more dangerous parallel comes in the form of James Ironwood, who tries to put himself in command of the BenevolentConspiracy before and after the Fall of Beacon, due to having criticisms of Ozpin's leadership. While already the [[GeneralFailure leader of Atlas' military]], a fairly decent fighter and charismatic to those who share his viewpoints, he is not as respected by his colleagues due to his numerous personal flaws, such as an unwillingness to listen to differing opinions, a [[ControlFreak need to control the actions of others]], a [[HolierThanThou belief in his own superiority]], an [[TheParanoiac excessive paranoid streak]] that often views everyone else in the worst light possible, and a stubborn unwillingness to [[NeverMyFault admit any fault]] whenever his actions end up making things worse. These traits only worsen after the Fall of Beacon, and combined with the toxic culture of obedience enforced in his home nation of Atlas and his inability to admit his ineptitude as a leader, he ultimately spirals out of control when his failings are exploited at every turn by [[BigBad Salem]] and [[TheDragon Cinder]].