History Main / HoldingBackThePhlebotinum

** There was one issue where she had an internal monologue lampshading this; as a martial artist she's trained to fight with her fights and her heart, and using her metahuman powers would be like bringing a bazooka to a boxing match. On this occasion Oracle had been kidnapped, though, so she was using the Cry right left and center with a 'screw them' attitude.

** Mikoto Misaka, one of the heroines of the series who's also the protagonist of her own spin-off ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'', never uses her full powers in all of her fights. This is due to the fact that her full powers are almost inescapably lethal, and she isn't going to kill people. But on the rare occasions she does let loose on something that isn't human, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome it's awesome]].

* Averted in Plato's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Gyges ''Republic'']] when Glaucon discusses the impact of the Ring of Gyges on morality. The ring makes its wearer invisible and Glaucon posits that anyone possessing such a ring would more or less be obliged to use it at all times. Effectively multiple ring bearers would find that they all HAD to wear the ring to avoid being taken advantage of by less moral citizens. Reputed to be the origin of the [[TheLordoftheRings One Ring]]

*** There's about 26 episodes per season with each season covering 1 year. This implies that a Federation Starship almost always has at least one piece non-functional or outright broken phlebotinum at any given time.

** One [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Original Series]] episode introduced a chemical that, when ingested, caused the subject to think and move at greatly accelerated speed, effectively becoming [[TheFlash The Flash]] for a while. Another episode introduced a drug that gave the subject [[MindOverMatter telekinetic powers]]. Neither substance was ever used or mentioned again.

* In ''Anime/ToAruMajutsuNoIndex'', Index has all of the Church's forbidden magical knowledge stored in her functional memory but is not herself capable of actually casting magic... not that that stops her from [[spoiler:taking down a golem using distracting phrases and ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome safety pins]]'']]. Of course, the end of the first arc [[spoiler:makes it clear that she ''can'' use magic, and only everyone around her keeping her LockedOutOfTheLoop prevents her from essentially becoming a story-breaking PersonOfMassDestruction]].
** Mikoto Misaka, one of the heroines of the series who's also the protagonist of her own spin-off ''Manga/ToAruKagakuNoRailgun'' never uses her full powers in all of her fights. This is due to the fact that her full powers are almost inescapably lethal, and she isn't going to kill people. But on the rare occasions she does let loose on something that isn't human, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome it's awesome]].

* The android AMAZO as seen in the JusticeLeagueUnlimited episode "Return" and "Wake the Dead". Here is a being with the powers of a god (think Dr Manhattan) who defeats the entire Justice League and shifts the Green Lanterm homeworld of Oa to [[NoKillLikeOverkill another dimension]] in one episode, has a HeelFaceTurn and is later called in to defeat a relatively minor villain in another episode. Fortunately averted in that this villain can absorb AMAZO's power, rather than be instantly obliterated. AMAZO departs the earth and is never seen again in the series. The writers may have wisely concluded that his presence would for the most part, render the Justice League completely irrelevant.
** To elaborate, this "minor villain" is the reanimated corpse of Solomon Grundy. Grundy, in the DCAU, regularly fought Superman on even terms and ''literally'' [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu died]] [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu beating Cthulhu to a bloody pulp]]. Not so much of a minor villain in terms of power level.

* In ''{{Kamen Rider Den-O}}'', TheLancer Yuto Sakurai/Zeronos is debatably more powerful and skilled than Ryotaro/Den-O. However, he has to leave matters in Ryotaro's hands several times because [[spoiler:he has a limited supply of the cards that allow him to become Zeronos, and more troublesome, using them causes people to forget his existence.]]

* Space travel. Humanity has the thechnology to send people [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Launch_System to other planets]] in our solar system, and even [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_%28nuclear_propulsion%29 to other nearby stars]] within a human lifetime. The problem? Nobody wants to bother because it will cost too much.

* Early in [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]] it was established that the Federation had the technology to erase specific events from a sentient being's memory. This is almost never used to solve a problem, because each time it would be useful (e.g. "Suddenly Human," "Homeward," "Hard Time") there is some contrived reason it won't work in that particular case.

* ''Film/IronMan'', no actual evidence. But Tony Stark's philosophy on weapons seem to work. "Some say the best weapon is one that never has to be fired. I, respectfully, disagree. I say the best weapon is one that only has to be fired once. That's how I do it, that's how my father did it, that's how America does it and it's worked pretty well so far."

* *Most Anime/MobileSuitGundam series have a weapon or two that are used only once or sparingly.
** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny Gundam SEED Destiny]]''Averted

** The original Gundam had the Solar System and the Colony Laser. No reason's given for Solar System's only use on Solomon, but the Colony Laser only had one shot because Ghiren was too anxious to use it.

** ''Anime/TurnAGundam'' had the Moonlight Butterfly, which everyone was frightened over.

* Used in the Season 2 finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. When the Changeling invasion moves into full swing, Princess Celestia immediately calls upon the Mane 6 to get the Elements of Harmony to stop them. However, [[ZergRush thanks to overwhelming numbers]], the heroes are stopped by the Changeling army before they even manage to reach the Elements, much less use them. The trend continues in the next episode, the Season 3 premiere. Although that was less of TheWorfEffect[=/=]CurbstombBattle and more of SecretTestOfCharacter mixed with the fact that the Crystal Ponies already have their own version of the Elements of Harmony in the form of the Crystal Heart.

** In DragonballZAbridged, he's a JerkAss who simply chooses not to. Sorry, makin' toast!

!!Examples:

!Examples:

-->-- '''Skullduggen''', ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpxMyoFpds Bo-Starr and the Champions of Galastrom]]''

!!Examples:

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* Early in the run of ''[[Series/BabylonFive Babylon 5]]'', the heroes discovered an ancient superweapon on the planet below. To prevent it from being misused, one of their allies took charge of it, but promised to help out whenever he could. He was then conveniently absent whenever the weapon would have been useful.

* This trope was used regularly in [[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Disney's Aladdin animated series]] to keep Genie from solving every problem with just a magical handwave.

** As Vaarsuvius [[LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards grows more and more powerful]], he gets held back more and more for the same reason. Even with his absolutely crippling personality flaws and with conjuration, one of the most useful schools of magic, [[CripplingOverspecialization chosen as a forbidden school]], there is too much risk of him overshadowing the rest of the Order. As a result, he is increasingly disabled, separated, or otherwise removed from the action as a the story progresses.

* Take a look at {{Batman}} who has access to space alien technology. He could use it to easily subdue criminals in Gotham. But no, whenever Batman is in Gotham, he is restricted to real world-level technology (or not too far away from).

* In Fanfic/KyonBigdagnangHero, Haruhi's powers are filtered through Yuki to [[TitleDrop hold back the phlebotinum]] as well as make them controllable. [[spoiler:Then she changes them even more so Closed Space isn't formed.]]

If you've got a WaveMotionGun or all-powerful MacGuffin, it'll either be used just ''once'' (with a possible NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup handwave) or everyone and their mother has one and it's a big free-for-all.

There's a good narrative reason for this: if you've got something that could resolve just about any conflict by waving it around, then obviously people would use it all the time, and your stories would be dreadfully boring.

* In ''[[BloodPlus Blood+ ]]'', [[OurVampiresAreDifferent chiropterans]] can only be killed by [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Saya's]] blood. But [[FriendlyNeighbourhoodVampire Hagi]] is a stronger fighter. Only once in the series does Hagi think to borrow Saya's sword after letting her coat it with her blood.
** This case does, however, have some justification, since there's time limit to how long Saya's blood remains effective once it's drawn. Red Shield previously did try to manufacture bullets incorporating Saya's blood but found them ineffective, and Saya herself often has to redraw her blood during the same battle. Given that Hagi and Saya end up being separated from each other in many battles, it's not really an efficient strategy.
* In the very first episode of ''Anime/YuGiOh'', the main character pulls off a miraculous come-from-behind victory by getting the five parts of Exodia in his hand for an instant win. In the third episode, a minor villain destroys the cards so suspense can be maintained in future duels.

** Since his power is quite explicitly "the power of ''cheating''", it's more "holding back the phlebotinum normal people use, while he wouldn't need it anyway.
* There are Magic Beans in ''Manga/DragonBall'' that can cure any wound sans death. In the earlier stories there are literately hundreds of them around. In later books there are less than 10, at any given time, making the preservation of magic beans a major plot point. This is justified by [[BigEater Yajirobe eating them all]]. In Trunks's BadFuture the plant died off, meaning no more beans at all.

** Mr Popo counts too. When introduced at the end of the King Piccolo saga he far surpasses Goku (his lack of help in the fight against Piccolo Daimao is lampshaded by Goku) and later he is shown to be as fast as Goten and Trunks in their Super Saiyan states and unharmed by either of them. This is hand waved by his inability to leave the lookout as he is its custodian who helps the Guardian of Earth perform their duties.
*** Or, in DragonballZAbridged, he's a JerkAss who simply chooses not to. Sorry, makin' toast!
* Averted in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny Gundam SEED Destiny]]'', where ship captain Talia Gladys is not afraid to use the Minerva's positron cannon early and often, whenever the situation calls for it.
** Also played straight, however, with the [[SuperMode SEED Modes]]. Kira almost always has it turned on, so its effectiveness appears limited and he gets (in)famously [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomped]] by Shinn in that one episode. In contrast, because Athrun and Shinn can't/don't keep it on all the time, there is a very clear increase in their abilities when they do.
* It's not just Gundam SEED Destiny, most Anime/MobileSuitGundam series have a weapon or two that are used only once or sparingly.
** The original Gundam had the Solar System and the Colony Laser. No reason's given for Solar System's only use on Solomon, but the Colony Laser only had one shot because Ghiren was too anxious to use it.

* [[ShakuganNoShana Alastor]] gets to be here instead of DeusExitMachina because his power is only ever used once, in a manner much more like a WaveMotionGun i.e,. a weapon, not someone who really does anything. He isn't used again (besides the obvious) because there's a chance [[spoiler:it could kill Shana.]]
* Played straight and then averted in ''Anime/CodeGeass'' with the [[spoiler: FLEIJA warheads]]. At first, Suzaku has one and is swearing to whatever god(s) he believes in that he will not shoot it, [[spoiler:until he gets careless and goes up against an opponent he cannot beat. This being Suzaku, he's [[DeathSeeker completely unwilling to accept this fact]], and when it finally dawns on him he immediately accepts death. This being the trigger for the Geass Lelouch gave him last season, Tokyo goes up in a [[SphereOfDestruction pink sphere of death]] and supposedly kills Nunnaly]]. In the final battle, Schneizel fires one about once every five minutes. [[spoiler:Once Lelouch has control of the Damocles, he fires one to prove a point.]]