History TookALevelInBadass / LiveActionFilms

* In the movie ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights'', we can count Ma-Ti (from Captain Planet, not pun intended) [[spoiler:who was the only guy to fight back against Malachite using his "heart" ring, the only power everyone thought was useless, even for a cartoon show.]]

** Between the original '80s ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' cartoon and the 2007 film, [[DirtyCoward Starscream]] has taken a major level in badass. To prove it, we have this line as Starscream flies over Mission City, from frigging [[TriggerHappy Iron]][[TheBigGuy hide]], of all people:
---> '''Ironhide''': [[ThisIsGonnaSuck It's Starscream!]]

** Hell, just like Starscream, Megatron has taken a level in badass between ''Franchise/TransformersGeneration1'' and the [[Film/Transformers2007 first movie]] (maybe even the [[Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen second]] too). Gone is the GeneralFailure incompetent cartoon villain commander (see the Western Animation section for more on that). This Megatron is a demonic-looking mechanical beast voiced by Creator/HugoWeaving who rips Autobots in two, [[spoiler: kills Jazz and Optimus]], treats humans like insects and doesn't hesitate to flick those pesky buggers out of the way, and is absolutely ''ruthless'' in pursuing his objectives. And if supplemental material is to be believed, he's a cannibal too.

** After being a largely ineffectual Kid Appeal Character in Generation One, Bumblebee took a level in badass and is a skilled fighter who [[spoiler: kills Brawl with a shot to the chest]] after Ironhide, Ratchet, and Jazz failed to in the first movie, takes on both Rampage and Ravage in the second movie [[spoiler: and comes out on top, ripping off Rampage's arms and tearing Ravage in half]], and [[spoiler: not only takes Soundwave on in a fight, but kills him by uppercutting him through the chest with his blaster and shooting off his head.]]

** Between the original 80's ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' cartoon and the 2007 film, [[DirtyCoward Starscream]] has taken a major level in badass. To prove it, we have this line as Starscream flies over Mission City, from frigging [[TriggerHappy Iron]][[TheBigGuy hide]], of all people:

** Hell, just like Starscream, Megatron has taken a level in badass between ''Franchise/TransformersGeneration1'' and the [[Film/{{Transformers}} first movie]] (maybe even the [[Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen second]] too). Gone is the GeneralFailure incompetent cartoon villain commander (see the Western Animation section for more on that). This Megatron is a demonic-looking mechanical beast voiced by Creator/HugoWeaving who rips Autobots in two, [[spoiler: kills Jazz and Optimus]], treats humans like insects and doesn't hesitate to flick those pesky buggers out of the way, and is absolutely ''ruthless'' in pursuing his objectives. And if supplemental material is to be believed, he's a cannibal too.

* ''Film/DallasBuyersClub'' - Ron Woodroof [[TookALevelInBadass Takes A Level In]] ''[[TookALevelInBadass Intellectual]]'' [[TookALevelInBadass Badass]], jumping in just a few months or arduous research from a no-good, womanizer blue-collar hick to a healer able to save hundreds of people from [=AIDS=] during [[TheEighties the 1980s]] [[ThePlague panic]].

** David Marcus, Admiral Kirk's nerdy son, takes it up a few Badass levels between ''Film/{{Star Trek II|The Wrath of Khan}}'' and [[Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock III]]'' (see also HeroicSacrifice).

* Morgan Sullivan from ''Film/{{Cypher}}'' starts out the movie as a timid, cuckolded house husband who's looking to make his life a bit more interesting by becoming a corporate spy. By the end of the movie he's sat through an intensive brainwashing session without batting an [[EyeScream eyelid]], [[ElevatorEscape escaped]] from an ultra-high security data centre and blown up a small army of {{Mooks}}. [[spoiler: Subverted in the sense that he's been a badass all along and didn't know it.]]

* ''Film/{{Oldboy 2003}}'' lampshades this. The philandering, perpetually-drunk thirty-year-old salaryman spends 14 years in a private prison trying to train his body to be tough. When he gets out, he wonders if all that training paid off when he gets into a fight. It turns out, [[CurbStompBattle it did]].

* Mantis as introduced in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' possesses powerful telepathic and empathic abilities, but she's a weak and inexperienced girl who has no real combat training. However, the movies sprinkle in scenes to show that she's resourceful with her abilities and from ''Endgame'' onwards, she is shown actively participating in battle. By the time of the Holiday Special, she is much better in combat, can use a candy cane as an ImprovisedWeapon and can leap from wall to wall. [[spoiler:''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol3'' has her become much more physically stronger and skilled in combat, taking down monsters and High Evolutionary guards with relative ease. She's also gained enough worldly experience to strike out on her own.]]

** Hawkeye and Black Widow start ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' as assassins and secret agents, but by the end they're straight up superheroes able to keep up with gods, monsters, and super soldiers.

** [[Characters/MCUDoctorStrange Doctor Strange]] and [[Characters/MCUScarletWitch Scarlet Witch]] take this up to eleven by getting stronger and better with virtually ''every new movie or show they're in.'' Just compare Wanda's first appearance in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' and Stephen's time as a trainee sorcerer in ''Film/DoctorStrange'' to how they both are in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' (and anything in-between; particularly ''Series/WandaVision'' for Wanda and ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' for Strange) and you'll see how chasm-like their power levels are in each one.

* During ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' River Tam spent most of the action scenes she is involved passively crying or running away (with a couple of notable exceptions that she might not have quite registered as fights in the first place ([[spoiler: "No power in the 'verse can stop me."]]). In the movie ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', however, she is quickly upgraded to a killing machine who defines WaifFu, and can take out roomfuls of armed assailants without breaking a sweat -- sometimes brainwashing has awesome results.

* During ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' River Tam spent most of the action scenes she is involved passively crying or running away (with a couple of notable exceptions that she might not have quite registered as fights in the first place [[spoiler: "No power in the 'verse can stop me."]]). In the movie ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', however, she is quickly upgraded to a killing machine who defines WaifFu, and can take out roomfuls of armed assailants without breaking a sweat -- sometimes brainwashing has awesome results.

** [[Characters/MCUDoctorStrange Doctor Strange]] and [[Characters/MCUScarletWitch Scarlet Witch]] take this UpToEleven by getting stronger and better with virtually ''every new movie or show they're in.'' Just compare Wanda's first appearance in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' and Stephen's time as a trainee sorcerer in ''Film/DoctorStrange'' to how they both are in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' (and anything in-between; particularly ''Series/WandaVision'' for Wanda and ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' for Strange) and you'll see how chasm-like their power levels are in each one.

** [[Characters/MCUDoctorStrange Doctor Strange]] and [[Characters/MCUScarletWitch Scarlet Witch]] take this UpToEleven by getting stronger and better with virtually ''every new movie or show they're in.'' Just compare Wanda's first appearance in ''Film/AvengersAgeofUltron'' and Stephen's time as a trainee sorcerer in ''Film/DoctorStrange'' to how they both are in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' (and anything in-between; particularly ''Series/WandaVision'' for Wanda and ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' for Strange) and you'll see how chasm-like their power levels are in each one.

** ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'':\\\
In comparison to ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' where her only physical scenes involve weight training and her shape-changing abilities used only as a distraction to aid someone else, Mystique has developed into using some of the acrobatic fighting style that her older counterpart from the first trilogy excels at.\\\
In ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', Havok lacks accuracy with his destructive powers, but shows signs of improvement by the end. In his brief scene here, he neutralizes a soldier using a non-lethal blast with little effort.

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** This pales in comparison to what he does in ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'' - [[spoiler:he manages to stay alive as a severed head, and manipulates the apparent human BigBad's faction into building him a new body. Now Galvatron, he possesses a NighInvulnerable body and nearly overpowers Optimus in one-on-one combat - all while posing as a remote-controlled drone - until Lockdown interrupts their fight. He then builds himself a new Decepticon army using all the humans' other drone Transformers, and even though he's largely SavedForTheSequel, he still comes across as far more menacing and competent than in the two previous movies (and maybe even the first)]].