History Main / PowerLossMakesYouStrong

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' involved CanonForeigner Luminus filtering out all but red sunlight from Metropolis. He proceeded to taunt, harass and play with Superman, knowing he was rapidly losing his strength. Oh, and he also mastered HardLight by this episode, trapping Superman in a Western setting, Pirate setting and trying to run him over with a train. Superman manages to overcome this with good timing and playing off of Luminus's arrogance (seriously, WhyDontYaJustShootHim?) until he can destroy the filtering device.

* The [[WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM Sonic Sat AM]] episode ''Super Sonic'' involved Sonic losing his speed and saving the day without it.
* Disney's version of WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}. He kills a Cyclops without his SuperStrength.

* Disney's version of Disney/{{Hercules}}. He kills a Cyclops without his SuperStrength.

* Around chapter 120 of the manga, ''Manga/CodeBreaker'', you learn that [[spoiler: Oogami was originally a sweet kid that was amazingly dead-set on [[MartialPacifist NOT taking life,]] no matter how bad the person he was fighting was. To top it all off, Oogami also had FULL control over ALL SEVEN FLAMES! That all changed when he was killed. When he was brought back, his powers were considerably weaker and he was never the same, most likely due to [[EasyAmnesia partial memory loss.]]]]

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': In the Thousand Year Blood War arc, the Vandenreich steal several character's [[SuperMode Bankai]]. They retrain and learn to use their regular abilities more efficiently. Byakuya uses a pretty cool metaphor in that just like you cannot see the image of a pointillism drawing unless you are far away, he wasn't able to see his full potential until it was taken from him.

* In the ComicBook/JusticeLeague ''{{Elseworlds}}'' series ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'', a [[DiabolusExMachina mysterious event]] wipes out all superpowers. Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter and ComicBook/TheFlash re-train themselves to become {{Badass Normal}}s like Franchise/{{Batman}}.
* ComicBook/{{Storm}} spent 3 real-world years powerless after accidentally getting shot by Forge with a power-neutralizing gun. However, she continued to lead the X-Men as a BadassNormal.
* ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'': During the ''Comicbook/NewKrypton'' in ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 Supergirl (Volume 5)]]'' issue #36, Reactron nullifies Supergirl's powers with Golden Kryptonite. He thinks he has already won when Kara rises up and [[http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j84/registrationisstupid/supergirl/SupergirlV54014.jpg beats the crap out of him]], telling she trained with Batman, the Amazons and is a first level practitioner of Klurkor- Kryptonian martial art.
-->'''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}:''' I trained with Batman. With the Amazons. I know first level Klurkor. Just because I can't use heat vision doesn't meant I'm helpless.
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** The "Green Sun" story in ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' #155 (August 1962). Superman is not only rendered non-superpowered, but blind. He still manages to overcome the BigBad using ingenuity and gumption.
** He did the same thing in ''Comicbook/KryptonNoMore''. Orange sunlight has rendered him, Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} and Krypto blind and cut their powers in half, and he has to come up with a way to defeat an alien army using his brains.
** During the "Krysis of the Krimson Kryptonite" story, Superman was left completely powerless thanks to Mr. Mxyzptlk. At one point supervillain Mammoth goes on rampage, and after a bit of trouble Superman is able to eventually get him to surrender, just by bluffing him.
* The miniseries ''The Last Days of Comicbook/AnimalMan'' depicts a [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture near future]] where the middle-aged titular character, now a full time member of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague, sees his powers slowly fade out to nothing. Nearly powerless, he finds a way to defeat two extremely AxCrazy supervillains with sheer guts, resourcefulness, and the very last, tiny drop of superpowers he has left.

** In the "Day of Black Sun" arc, the [[PlayingWithFire firebenders]] lost all their powers. Princess Azula, being a very nimble individual, was still very effective. And having those Dai Li Earthbenders helped.

** In the third season, Zuko experiences a hefty power loss once he begins to train Aang and figures out that his letting go of his anger and WellDoneSonGuy tendencies (and the frustration that brought him) has prevented him from using the TheDarkSide version of Firebending the Fire Nation believes in. After a "life-changing field trip" with Aang he learns the "pure" form of Firebending and gets a dramatic enough increase in his abilities to successfully fight Azula one-on-one in the finale. Until she cheats, anyway.

* Ginormica in ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'' after Gallaxhar removes her AppliedPhlebotinum.

** GreenLantern in ''The Savage Time.'' His ring runs out, there's no battery around, he becomes a rugged infantryman. That's fine with him, as John is a [[SemperFi US Marine]] veteran as well, so this is not exactly new.

** In the Season Nine opener "Savior", Clark is threatened by a woman with a katana while he is powerless, ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome and he kicks her ass]]''. In that season's finale, he does a fair job of holding his own against Zod himself in a brawl between the two where both are powerless. But he ultimately must make a HeroicSacrifice in order to "win."

* In the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica ''{{Elseworlds}}'' series ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'', a [[DiabolusExMachina mysterious event]] wipes out all superpowers. Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter and ComicBook/TheFlash re-train themselves to become {{Badass Normal}}s like Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* The miniseries ''The Last Days of Comicbook/AnimalMan'' depicts a [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture near future]] where the middle-aged titular character, now a full time member of the [[JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]], sees his powers slowly fade out to nothing. Nearly powerless, he finds a way to defeat two extremely AxCrazy supervillains with sheer guts, resourcefulness, and the very last, tiny drop of superpowers he has left.

* ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}: During the ''Comicbook/NewKrypton'' arc, Reactron nullifies Supergirl's powers with Golden Kryptonite. He thinks he has already won when Kara rises up and [[http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j84/registrationisstupid/supergirl/SupergirlV54014.jpg beats the crap out of him]], telling she trained with Batman, the Amazons and is a first level practitioner of Klurkor- Kryptonian martial art.

* In the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica ''{{Elseworlds}}'' series ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'', a [[DiabolusExMachina mysterious event]] wipes out all superpowers. Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter and TheFlash re-train themselves to become {{Badass Normal}}s like Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* In ''Series/TheFlash2014'', Barry loses his powers to a meta-human. At the end, though, when his friends are threatened, not only does he regain his powers, but he's way faster than before, able to outrun ''lightning''.

->'''Spider-Man''': Man, this was way easier [[DePower when I had my Spider-Sense]].\\
'''Shang-Chi''': No. That was a crutch. A barrier that kept you from your true potential. You must go beyond the spider. Beyond the man. Beyond even the fighter. And become the fight itself!

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Arguably the point of the Dusk Taker Arc for AccelWorld. Haruyuki is stripped of his wings, the one thing that made him feel special in the accelerated world. While this does send him into a nasty spiral, it also let's him realize that he's not powerful because Silver Crow has wings, Silver Crow is powerful because Haruyuki can make him fly.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

** Literally, for Polaris when she lost her magnetic powers and gained super-strength for no clear reason.
* Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}: During the ''Comicbook/NewKrypton'' arc, Reactron nullifies Supergirl's powers with Golden Kryptonite. He thinks he has already won when Kara rises up and [[http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j84/registrationisstupid/supergirl/SupergirlV54014.jpg beats the crap out of him]], telling she trained with Batman, the Amazons and is a first level practitioner of Klurkor- Kryptonian martial art.

[[folder: Film]]
* In "Film/AustinPowersTheSpyWhoShaggedMe", Austin has his mojo, the power source of his incredibly virile sex drive/libido, stolen, stealing Powers' "superpowers" in the bedroom and rendering the swinging super spy figuratively and literally/sexually impotent. However, in the end, even after the bottle with his mojo is destroyed, Austin is able to regain his mojo when he wins Felicity's love, regaining his sexual performance and finally taking her to bed during the credits... Along with his past self.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* Peter Petrelli from ''{{Series/Heroes}}'' during the Villians Arc, and later after the DiscardAndDraw.
* As often as Clark loses his powers on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', this happens quite a bit, most notable being taking a bullet for Lois while weakened by kryptonite.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In the "Day of Black Sun" arc of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', the [[PlayingWithFire firebenders]] lost all their powers. Princess Azula, being a very nimble individual, was still very effective. And having those Dai Li Earthbenders helped.
** Her brother Zuko takes advantage the power loss to initiate his rebellion against their father, the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord, [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking as is to be expected]], is normally more powerful than Zuko, but he's no good at fighting ''without'' his powers. Zuko, on the other hand, is a [[DualWielding master swordsman.]]
** In the third season, Zuko experiences a hefty power loss once he begins to train Aang and figures out that his letting go of his anger and WellDoneSonGuy tendencies (and the frustration that brought him) has prevented him from using the TheDarkSide version of Firebending the Fire Nation believes in. After a "life-changing field trip" with Aang he learns the "pure" form of Firebending and gets a dramatic enough increase in his abilities to successfully fight Azula one on one in the finale. Until she cheats, anyway.

* Disney's version of Disney/{{Hercules}}. He killed a Cyclops without his SuperStrength.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' featured Terry not only losing his technologically advanced batsuit, but having to face off ''against'' it when it's taken over by a [[AIIsACrapshoot rogue A.I.]]
** He even lampshades the moment as defining character growth for himself, admitting to Bruce before the showdown that he needed to know whether he really had what it takes to be Batman personally, or if it was just the powers the suit gave him that made him a hero.

* Parodied, played with, subverted, and played STRAIGHT to Hell and back with ComicBook/CaptainAtom in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' episode "Powerless". Captain Atom learned that without powers...you're a weak, squishy human who needs to be protected by [[SmugSuper Smug Supers]] like him.

** Done on ''Buffy'' when she turned 18 to see if she could function without powers, in the charming Watcher tradition known as the Cruciamentum. It was supposed to involve locking her in a house with an insane vampire. [[FromBadToWorse Then he broke free]]. [[SarcasmMode Astonishing really]], that most Slayers die young with that kind of a support system. Actually somewhat of an InvokedTrope on the part of the Watcher's Council - if the Slayer could kill a vampire ''without'' her powers, then she would probably do a good job saving the world ''with'' them. If she ''couldn't'', well... a new Slayer would be Called.

** He did the same thing in ''Superman #309''. Orange sunlight has rendered him, Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} and Krypto blind and cut their powers in half, and he has to come up with a way to defeat an alien army using his brains.

Compare HandicappedBadass, which is the loss not of a superpower, but of a normal human ability, BroughtDownToBadass, in which the loss of a superpower does very little to hamper the character's fighting skill, and DisabilitySuperPower, when the handicap itself ushers a superpower. Contrast WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. Inversion of EmpoweredBadassNormal.

* ''{{Buffyverse}}'':

* During the ''Comicbook/NewKrypton'' arc, Reactron nullifies Supergirl's powers with Golden Kryptonite. He thinks he has already won when Kara rises up and [[http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j84/registrationisstupid/supergirl/SupergirlV54014.jpg beats the crap out of him]], telling she trained with Batman, the Amazons and is a first level practitioner of Klurkor- Kryptonian martial art.

* In the JusticeLeagueOfAmerica ''{{Elseworlds}}'' series ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'', a [[DiabolusExMachina mysterious event]] wipes out all superpowers. Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter and TheFlash re-train themselves to become {{Badass Normal}}s like Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* The "Green Sun" story in ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' #155 (August 1962). Superman is not only rendered non-superpowered, but blind. He still manages to overcome the BigBad using ingenuity and gumption.
* During the "Krysis of the Krimson Kryptonite" story, Superman was left completely powerless thanks to Mr. Mxyzptlk. At one point supervillain Mammoth goes on rampage, and after a bit of trouble Superman is able to eventually get him to surrender, just by bluffing him.

* In the JusticeLeagueOfAmerica ''{{Elseworlds}}'' series ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'', a [[DiabolusExMachina mysterious event]] wipes out all superpowers. {{Supergirl}}, Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter and TheFlash re-train themselves to become {{Badass Normal}}s like Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* In the ''SwordOfTruth'', Richard has one of these in the finale arc. It's just one of the countless call-backs to the first books.

* Happens in the third installment of the VideoGame/HeroesRise trilogy. After [[spoiler: the PlayerCharacter looses their powers at the end of the second game,]] they're barely able to use even a tiny fraction of their abilities, and using them takes a toll on their health, as well. After pushing their boundaries over the course of the game, [[spoiler: the PlayerCharacter's powers come back with a vengeance just in time to escape the Blessed Vessel.]]

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