History Main / ImNotAHeroIm

* ''[[Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'': [=McClane=] thinks he isn't really a hero. He knows people call him one, but he doesn't really think it's worth it:

* ''[[Franchise/DieHard Live Free Or Die Hard]]'': [=McClane=] thinks he isn't really a hero. He knows people call him one, but he doesn't really think it's worth it:

* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'': Look, Red, I'm no hero. I'm just a guy from Jersey.

** In the adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames'', when Impa notices the Triforce birthmark on Link's hand, Link gets very defensive about it, insisting that it means nothing and that he's just a regular person.

* ''Manga/MariaNoDanzai'': Maria was once a happily married woman and a mother. However, her beloved son was killed right in front of her, and she discovered that she was killed in a prank gone wrong by demonic bullies who tortured her son before they killed him. She snapped toward revenge and threw away her life and marriage, eventually taking a new identity as a nurse at her son's old school to kill the bullies one by one and destroy them emotionally before killing them. Even though the bullies showed themselves as unredeemable monsters that deserve to die, Maria is well aware that [[DrivenToVillainy she's become far from a righteous person]] and feels guilty when others think of her as a kind woman. Even [[spoiler: killing Kowase, [[DismemberingTheBody chopping him up]] and [[FurnaceBodyDisposal burning his remains]]]] is a little more than she can stomach. This was best shown during the end of a term faculty party where she helped a fellow teacher who was feeling down because of the disappearance of two students she unknowingly had a hand in. The principal was pressuring him to keep quiet and to drink alcohol. When the teacher Atsuki-sensei thanks Maria for getting the principal off his back at a party, Maria becomes upset and leaves the party without a word, to his shock. Maria, deep down, feels she isn't worthy of thanks or compliments because she's not the kind person she presents herself to her fellow teachers and students.

* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has Poppy, a [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Yordle]] whose shtick is that she believes herself to merely be the {{herald}} of TheChosenOne destined to wield [[DropTheHammer a legendary hammer]] she carries with her, [[SelectiveObliviousness completely oblivious to her own strength and talent while using it]] to instead wander aimlessly in search for her hero. Her character selection quote plays this up: "I'm no hero, [[HumbleHero just a yordle with a hammer!"]]

* TheHero (or AntiHero) uses this logic to enable themselves to do what no one else could do, or should do, for the "greater good". Occasionally accompanied with the ZeroApprovalGambit.

* ''ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2020:'' Richard Rider tries insisting to his therapist that he isn't a hero, but the man points out (several decades of heroism aside) Rich has saved the ''entire universe'' more than once, so yes, he absolutely is a hero, and he should stop telling himself he's not.

* In ''Film/ChristopherRobin'', the title character says this to [[Franchise/WinnieThePooh his childhood friend, Pooh]], after "rescuing" his friends from a Heffalump (which was an act on his part). Pooh calls him a hero for saving them all, but [[ShellShockedVeteran Christopher]], [[WarIsHell who has seen the horrors of World War II]], doesn't think of himself as one. Pooh still does, and the two share [[CryIntoChest a tearful embrace on their old hill.]]

* Used hilariously by Martin in the ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' episode "Bad Dog." After Frasier spends days trying to expose Bulldog for the fraud he is after accidentally preventing a gunman from harming people, Martin exposes him in a matter of seconds simply by shouting "Hey Bulldog, that man's got a gun!" in front of the crowd of people honoring him for his "heroic act", causing Bulldog [[DirtyCoward to use his own mother as a human shield]]. The crowd see through what happened before and turn on Bulldog. Upon which, Martin explains to Frasier:

* The message of the Black Veil Brides has always centered around being who you are and standing up for yourself. As a result, they have gathered a large fanbase that worship them. While the boys love their fans and support them through their music, they've always said that they were just guys in a rock and roll band. 'Nobody's Hero,' a song from their album 'Wretched and Divine' expresses this viewpoint. They will support you, they will help you, but in the end they are only human, not heroes.

--> '''Magma''': No... I'm an ''accident''. Real heroes, they make a choice. [[StrawNihilist I never did.]]

--> '''Mathter''': And what kind of hero are ''you''?\\

* In ''Literature/[[TheTwilightSeries Twilight]]'', Edward uses this trope as an attempt to warn Bella to stay away:

* In ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'', Edward uses this trope as an attempt to warn Bella to stay away:

->''"And they say that a hero could save us\\
I'm not gonna stand here and wait\\
I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles\\
Watch as we all fly away"''
-->-- '''Chad Kroeger''', "Hero"