History TookALevelInBadass / AnimatedFilms

* ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'': In a way that could also fit in the CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass category, the [[BuffoonishTomcat cat]] Tiger starts out as a goofy, slow-witted, accident-prone, bumbling, and cowardly {{Cloudcuckoolander}}. When he meets [[RetiredBadass retired dog sheriff]] Wylie Burp, he is given a proper training on how to be like a dog in order to defeat Cat R. Waul and his gang. He then becomes more motivated, confident, self-possessed, and a lot more heroic (if still a tad goofy and bumbling in some instances due to his habitual buffoonery). But Tiger takes another level instantly when he sees Miss Kitty put in danger, taking out most of Cat R. Waul's gang all by himself and [[LetsGetDangerous he doesn't play around this time]].

** In ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', Miles Morales starts the movie as an awkward teen in way over his head, and spends most of the first two acts of the movie running away from the bad guys while his powers [[PowerIncontinence go out of control]]. By the third act, he's got his powers under control and manages to defeat Kingpin in a one-on-one fight, finally embracing his role as the new Spider-Man. Then he takes an even bigger level in the sequel, [[spoiler holding his own against an entire army of Spider-People and escaping to his apparent home world. Not bad for someone who wasn't even supposed to get his powers.]]

** In ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'', Miles Morales starts the movie as an awkward teen in way over his head, and spends most of the first two acts of the movie running away from the bad guys while his powers [[PowerIncontinence go out of control]]. By the third act, he's got his powers under control and manages to defeat Kingpin in a one-on-one fight, finally embracing his role as the new Spider-Man.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', Elsa has a pretty good control of her powers as a child, but after an accident, the trolls warn of the possibility a BurnTheWitch response if she doesn't learn control, leading her parents to believe it will be best for her to conceal her powers and Elsa repressing them for years. When she finally lets go again, she ends up - not just accidentally, but to her complete surprise - freezing the ''entire kingdom'' and ''creating sentient life''.

** The Omnidroids get stronger as they are updated. If AN Omnidroid won, they would fight another Super, while if the Super won, Syndrome would use the data from the battle to build an upgraded version, who he would pit against the same super (the new Omnidroid invariably won). Version v8 is defeated by Mr. Incredible after a long battle, but the upgraded v9 is able to defeat him. The v9 becomes the template for building the giant v10 which is unleashed upon the city.

** The first film's plot revolves around this -- learning kung fu in order to be ready when Tai Lung attacks.
** In the sequel, although his fighting skills are still far from flawless, he kicks much more butt. Plus, he achieves Inner Peace.
** The third film has him learn how to produce chi and [[spoiler:he takes over Master Oogway's job as the BigGood and leader of Kung Fu.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', Elsa has a pretty good control of her powers as a child, but after an accident, the trolls warn of the possibility a Burn the Witch! response if she doesn't learn control, leading her parents to believe it will be best for her to conceal her powers and Elsa repressing them for years. When she finally lets go again, she ends up - not just accidentally, but to her complete surprise - freezing the ''entire kingdom'' and ''creating sentient life''.'

** Over the course of ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse'', Jonathan Ohnn a.k.a. the Spot goes from an ordinary scientist to a bumbling supervillain wannabe who is overpowered by an ordinary shopkeeper with a baseball bat to a genuine threat who can keep pace with four Spider-people at once to [[spoiler:a [[EldritchAbomination cosmic horror]] who threatens to unmake the fabric of the entire multiverse]].

* Miles Morales in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' starts the movie as an awkward teen in way over his head, and spends most of the first two acts of the movie running away from the bad guys while his powers [[PowerIncontinence go out of control]]. By the third act, he's got his powers under control and manages to defeat Kingpin in a one-on-one fight, finally embracing his role as the new Spider-Man.

* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'':

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'':

* Po from ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' takes a level in each film:

* Gru from ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe''. He goes from IneffectualSympatheticVillain to PapaWolf who punches out a shark and dodges a MacrossMissileMassacre.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'':

* ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Despite suffering a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown from Thumper under Hopper's orders, Flik gives Hopper a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech and inspires the rest of the colony to stand up to the grasshoppers.