History Main / GodForADay

* Noire considers offering this opportunity in one of her blog entries in VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptunia. Keeping with her being the [=PS3=] rep, she says you'd "only have to do everything".

* There was a ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'' episode, "Boss For A Day" where Fred is envious of his boss and the Great Gazoo turns him into a boss. He finds that it's actually a burden, since he has to deal with higher-ups, stay late in meetings, etc.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' - in the episode "Hide and Q" Q gives such powers to Riker and makes, unknown to Riker, a bet with Picard: Picard thinks that Riker will reject Q's offer and bets the Enterprise herself on him against Q offering to never bother them again. Picard wins after Riker finds every gift he tries to give to his friends rings hollow.
-->"But it's what you've always wanted Data, to become human."
-->"Yes, sir. That is true. But I never wanted to compound one... illusion with another. It might be real to Q,... perhaps even you, sir. But it would never be so to me. Was it not one of the Captain's favourite authors who wrote, "This above all: to thine own self be true?" Sorry, Commander, I must decline."
* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode "Appointment in Samarra", Dean is given the job of being [[TheGrimReaper Death]] for one day. He tries to let a little girl with a heart condition live, only to discover that letting someone live "against the natural order" sets off a cascade of other deaths, and he has to give up before the day is over, admitting that it's harder than it looks.

->''"Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity; but if you wish to know what a man really is give him power. This is the supreme test."''

A character can be tested and taught to learn their weaknesses and strengths not just by making them suffer burden and limitation but by giving them all the power and ease in the world. A trope for teaching characters a lesson can be making them [[TitleDrop God for a day]].

* When ComicBook/GreenLantern Kyle Rayner became Ion, a being with all the power of the entire Green Lantern Corps, he tried to use his new might to feed starving children in Africa, heal his friend's back-injury, restore his girlfriend Jade's powers, etc, until Superman advises him to back down because people around the world have started to worship him as a god. Soon after he sacrifices the power so that the Guardians of the Universe and the Corps can live again.

->''"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."''
-->-- '''UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln'''

[[folder:Film]]

* The plot of ''Film/BruceAlmighty'': Bruce thinks that God does a rubbish job because...he was passed up for promotion in favour of his {{jerkass}} rival, he got fired after a breakdown, a gang of thugs beat him up and vandalised his car and [[RageBreakingPoint his dog wasn't toilet trained]]. [[SmiteMeOhMightySmiter Rather than smiting him like a mighty smiter]], God gives Bruce the job. Bruce gives himself some frivolities, screws over a few people who annoy him, gets laid and has some really good coffee but alas God-like powers don't get you love and answering yes to every prayer just makes things worse.

* The plot of ''Film/BruceAlmighty'': Bruce thinks that God does a rubbish job because...he was passed up for promotion in favour of his {{jerkass}} rival, he got fired after a breakdown, a gang of thugs beat him up and vandalised his car and [[RantInducingSlight his dog wasn't toilet trained]]. [[SmiteMeOhMightySmiter Rather than smiting him like a mighty smiter]], God gives Bruce the job. Bruce gives himself some frivolities, screws over a few people who annoy him, gets laid and has some really good coffee but alas God-like powers don't get you love and answering yes to every prayer just makes things worse.

The character may love it at first, indulge in several whims, fulfill some wishes but then they may find themselves getting DrunkWithPower or finding that BeingGodIsHard and they can't handle [[ComesGreatResponsibility all the responsibilities associated with the power]] so well, each well meaning move being a blunder that leads to more to fix. These difficulties may cause a SuddenHumility. If things turn disastrous, expect an Aesop about how RealityWarpingIsNotAToy.

* In the cartoon ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'' episode "Day of the Dungeon Master," Eric the Cavalier is given the practically limitless power of the Dungeon Master. He screws up a lot by being rather pompous but he actually ends up becoming very sagelike himself and even gets the capability to send everyone back to the real world but they stay because it would require him being left behind on his own.

* Another wager with godlike entities: Rachel of the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' was given the chance to become the ultimate fighting machine by Crayak. However such things are not much fun for a BloodKnight and it leaves only the satisfaction of sadistically snuffing out your enemies which is a road she doesn't feel comfortably going down when Crayak starting saying she is NotSoDifferent. It doesn't help that she would have to kill her cousin in exchange for getting the powers.