History Main / PowerStrainBlackout

Compare to FaintingSeer, which may overlap for {{Seer}}s.

* Tom Jones allegedly fainted upon singing the long and loud final note in the theme song to ''{{Thunderball}}''

* U Go Girl from the short-lived Mike Allred ''{{X-Factor}}''. Her power would literally drain her energy and she'd more than occasionally pass out after using her whirly teleportation.

** In the 1990s [[WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}} animated series]], Jean does this after using her powers on Juggernaut to give him LaserGuidedAmnesia.
** She does so again in a later episode, after showing Candra the truth of the Assassin's betrayal.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolverine And The X-Men}}'', Christy faints after using her [[DishingOutDirt earth powers]] to protect herself, her father, Wolverine, and Mystique from an explosion.

* ''{{Smallville}}'': When Chloe first uses her healing power, she collapses so completely doctors think she's dead.

* ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'': The first time Aang enters the Avatar State in the pilot episode and several times in the first season before he gets used to it, he is visibly exhausted afterward. By Season Two, he's typically okay even if emotionally distressed.
* Niko of ''GalaxyRangers'' will occasionally overtax herself, draining her implant and her natural abilities and end up knocked out or barely conscious for a while. The upside is that if it gets to that point, she's probably just saved everyone's ass with it.

* When Raezinus from ''DeverishAlso'' demonstrates the portal spell and it becomes important to keep it open for a while, he eventually passes out from the strain of keeping the spell going for so long.

* [[GalaxyRangers Niko]] will occasionally overtax herself, draining her implant and her natural abilities and end up knocked out or barely conscious for a while. The upside is that if it gets to that point, she's probably just saved everyone's ass with it.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'': The first time Aang enters the Avatar State in the pilot episode and several times in the first season before he gets used to it, he is visibly exhausted afterward. By Season Two, he's typically okay even if emotionally distressed.
[[/folder]]

* In ''{{Spacetrawler}}'', Eebs (or humans like Yuri with Eeb brain implants) will black out if they strain their telekinesis by moving objects that are too massive. Too much of this strain can outright kill them. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that this limitation is a result of brain-clamping--we've yet to see an upper limit on how much matter an unclamped Eeb can move telekinetically.]

* ''{{Bleach}}'': Jakuho Raikoben severely drains Soi Fon's reiatsu, enough that it usually takes her [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/bleach/v43/c370/3.html three days]] to recover before she can safely use it again. Otherwise, [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/bleach/v43/c370/1.html this]] [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/bleach/v43/c370/2.html happens.]]

* Jean Grey and several other telepaths of the ''{{X-Men}}'' and related continuities do this at least once in almost all of their incarnations.

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'': ''Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia'' (1980). If the Norse god Odin uses his powers to heal anyone, he falls asleep for one to 10 days.

[[folderTabletop Games]]

It can be hard to show all the aspects of a fictional ability since such a thing does not have any RealLife context that the audience can relate to. So when a creator wants to show that using a special power takes a toll on a character, he will often have them faint afterward.

This is especially true when they use a power for the first time. Presumably, the strain of using it is too much for them, causing their mind to shut down in self defense.

Frequently used for powers that aren't very flashy in order to make them seem more dramatic, such as PsychicPowers like telepathy. It's also frequently a characteristic of TheChick, a FauxActionGirl, a NonActionGuy, and other non-combat oriented type characters.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* In early issues of ''{{Runaways}}'' [[CuteBruiser Molly]] would black out from exhaustion after a throwing a single punch. As she got more used to it she wouldn't pass out, but would still need a nap after using her powers.
* Jean Grey and several other telepaths of the ''{{X-men}}'' and related continuities do this at least once in almost all of their incarnations.
** In the 1990's [[WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}} animated series]], she does this after using her powers on Juggernaut to give him LaserGuidedAmnesia.

* ''TheSecretOfNimh'': Also happens to Mrs. Brisby, immediately following [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q6WCdQm2Jo the film's climax]], wherein she uses [[MacGuffin The Stone]] for the first and only time to move her home. She collapses as its power subsides, then passes out.

[[folder: Literature]]

* ''{{Smallville}}'': when Chloe first uses her healing power she collapses so completely doctors think she's dead.

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''{{Champions}}''. Normally Endurance is used to fuel a character's power use. If a character runs out of Endurance they can use Stun instead. If their Stun runs out they fall unconscious.
* ''DungeonsAndDragons'': ''Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia'' (1980). If the Norse god Odin uses his powers to heal anyone he falls asleep for 1-10 days.

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Webcomics]]

* ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'': The first time Aang enters the Avatar State in the pilot episode and several times in the first season before he gets used to it, he is visibly exhausted afterward. By Season Two he's typically okay even if emotionally distressed

* TomJones allegedly fainted upon singing the long and loud final note in the theme song to ''{{Thunderball}}''

* In ''{{Spacetrawler}}'', Eebs (or humans like Yuri with Eeb brain implants) will black out if they strain their telekinesis by moving objects that are too massive. Too much of this strain can outright kill them. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that this limitation is a result of brain-clamping--we've yet to see an upper limit on how much matter an unclamped Eeb can move telekinetically.]]
* ''TheCyantianChronicles''' resident ChewToy, Darrik is frightened enough that his energy manipulation powers start by themselves. he uses up enough of his energy that he is dizzy for some time afterwards.

* Willow, of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', often collapsed after over-exerting herself during spellcasting.

* In ''Literature/InheritanceCycle Eragon]]'', Eragon's first attempt at casting combat magic caused him to lose consciousness because it took a large amount of energy out of him at once.

* In ''{{Eragon}}'', Eragon's first attempt at casting combat magic caused him to lose consciousness because it took a large amount of energy out of him at once.

* SailorMoon usually faints or at least collapses and loses her Super form after using her Rainbow Moon Heartache attack in the S series, although that restriction on her Super form doesn't apply during [=SuperS=], probably because she's using a power source other than the Holy Grail in that series. She also has this problem in the first few episodes of Stars, when she first tries to become Eternal Sailor Moon, and like with [=SuperS=], the problem disappears once that becomes her default form when the Animamates start appearing.

* ''Manga/DragonBallZ'': When Gohan first goes [=SSJ2=] he triggers it for only a second then passes out. This was seen in one of Goku's flashbacks of their training in the time chamber and was the moment that convinced him that Gohan could beat Cell if he could sustain that power. Which he did.

* ''DragonBallZ'': When Gohan first goes [=SSJ2=] he triggers it for only a second then passes out. This was seen in one of Goku's flashbacks of their training in the time chamber and was the moment that convinced him that Gohan could beat Cell if he could sustain that power. Which he did.

* ''DragonBallZ'': When Gohan first goes SSJ2 he triggers it for only a second then passes out. This was seen in one of Goku's flashbacks of their training in the time chamber and was the moment that convinced him that Gohan could beat Cell if he could sustain that power. Which he did.

* {{Bleach}}: Jakuho Raikoben severely drains Soi Fon's reiatsu, enough that it usually takes her [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/bleach/v43/c370/3.html three days]] to recover before she can safely use it again. Otherwise, [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/bleach/v43/c370/1.html this]] [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/bleach/v43/c370/2.html happens.]]