History BadassNormal / Literature

** The ''Literature/StarTrekDepartmentOfTemporalInvestigations'' is responsible for protecting the Federation (and others within ButterflyOfDoom range) from temporal mischief in all its forms, from {{Negative Space Wedgie}}s, to [[SpannerInTheWorks well-intentioned idiots]], to invaders from TheFuture. Quite a tall order, considering the DTI is still relatively nascent and understaffed, with only the most basic understanding of temporal physics. Despite this, they manage to hold their own against hostile powers far above their weight class. Partly, this is because there are also other good guys from the future helping out, but also because DTI agents, for all their technological deficiencies, are smart, motivated, well-trained, and [[BeneathNotice frequently underestimated]]. The boring pencil-pushers in [[TheNondescript non-descript gray uniforms]] are the last people anyone expects to be a threat -- and they're not... until [[LetsGetDangerous they have to be]].

* Roberta Lincoln in ''Literature/StarTrekTheEugenicsWars'' can keep up with the genetically engineered superhumans for the duration of the war and beyond. She even [[spoiler: becomes the new supervisor of earth at the end when Gary Seven goes back to the Aegis.]]

* Creator/PerryMoore's ''Literature/{{Hero}}'' has Major Might and Dark Hero.

* Edilio from Michael Grant's ''Literature/{{Gone}}''.
* Geoffrey Spazmo from Creator/BenElton's ''Gridlock''. Spastic, but smart and brave as a lion. Kills two professional assassins with a coffee maker and a bottle opener. [[spoiler:Still dies in the end... sniffle...]]

** Rincewind is a 'wizzard' with absolutely no powers and an inability to learn any spells. Even so, he is able to get out of just about any situation with a mixture of fear and speed. One time he manged to survive the disappearance of a dragon he was riding by punching into an alternate reality through nothing but a fervent desire to remain airborne.

* Roran from ''Literature/InheritanceCycle''. In a world where [[SuperiorSpecies elves]] have the [[SuperStrength strength of ten men]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] grow to the size of [[GiantFlyer large hills]], and [[FunctionalMagic magicians]] tear castles apart with their minds, Roran is armed with only his [[TheDeterminator determination]] and a [[DropTheHammer metal hammer]]. When his village becomes condemned by TheEmpire, he uses his potent charisma to convince his people to flee their homes and travel from the northern tip of Alagaesia to the sun-drenched country of Surda in the far south, avoiding [[EvilOverlord Galbatorix's]] troops all the while. He joins the [[LaResistance Varden]], kills the Twins (two extremely powerful magicians) with his hammer, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill kills 193 men in one go]], survives being given 50 lashes to the back by [[GeneralRipper Nasuada]] for insubordination and is up and fighting again a few days later, journeys across Alagaesia to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend from the mountain lair [[EvilTowerOfOminousness Helgrind]], wrestles a battle-crazed [[OurOrcsAreDifferent urgal]] to the ground until the beast surrenders and acknowledges Roran as the stronger, and rises his way up to a commander in the Varden after only a couple of months of service. And he does this all without any magic whatsoever. Yeah, [[{{Farmboy}} Eragon]] doesn't look so impressive next to that, does he?

* Mark from ''Literature/{{Tempest}}'' is of purely human ancestry and has no magic powers, unlike the half-mermaid Tempest and the selkie Kona. Tempest feels like she has to protect him and keep him away from all the problems she deals with under the sea. But in ''Tempest Revealed'', the Leviathan is killing people, and neither Tempest nor Kona can harm him with their magic. Then Mark shoots him to death with a gun.

** Doom [[spoiler:aka Jarred Jasmine’s DisappearedDad]] the RebelLeader outshines even the aforementioned trio on this account, being the first person to be taken into the [[{{Mordor}} Shadowlands]] (where he was forced into combat with a Vraal in some GladiatorGames) and manage to escape with his life all by himself albeit suffering severe amnesia.

* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': Feyre establishes herself beautifully over the course of the first book. She is a regular human that can hold her own against Fae and their clever tricks. The defining moment is probably her fighting a massive, carnivorous worm while trapped in a labyrinthine maze and defeating it with only quick thinking and clever timing. People are still talking about it in the second book.

* ''Literature/PleaseDontTellMyParentsImASupervillain'': A number. Cybermancer and Penny's mom who went by The Audit in her heroing days. Probably Miss A, though her powers are never fully explained, if she has any. Witch Hunter seems to be one as well.

** In ''Back to Before'', a side-novel that takes place in an alternate timeline where the Animorphs never got their powers, Rachel grabs a baseball bat and beats Tom with it when he's trying to take Jake to the Yeerk Pool.

* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': Feyre establishes herself beautifully over the course of the first book. The defining moment is probably her fighting a massive, carnivorous worm while trapped in a labyrinthine maze and defeating it with only quick thinking and clever timing. People are still talking about it in the second book.

* [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms RotTK]] features more Chinese generals than you can shake a stick at. One who stands out even though he has no special qualities or strengths is Liao Hua. He starts out the story as a [[LaResistance Yellow Turban]] and not only miraculously survives that ordeal, he joins up with [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Liu]] [[LawfulStupid Bei.]] While the "Heroes" of Shu rapidly die out this guy stays alive to distinguish himself before dying of old age.

** [[spoiler: Domovoi]] Butler. No superpowers whatsoever, and yet one of the two most feared humans on and under the planet, due to his incredible martial arts skills. He is the only human in history to take on a troll, and win. In single combat, no less.
--> "There were two men in the world more educated in the various martial arts than Butler. One of them was his uncle, and the other lived on an island in the South China Sea, meditating and beating up palm trees. You had to feel sorry for those goblins."

* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'': The air of Narnia is stated to be different from terrestrial air, and it has a way of turning ordinary children from Earth into these.