History WhatYouAreInTheDark / MarvelUniverse

** [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Peter Parker]] is unique for the fact that he became a superhero because he failed this test. After getting superpowers on a silver platter in ''ComicBook/AmazingFantasyNumber15'', he tried to cash in on them and had no grand plans aside from using the money to provide for his family. But then a burglar passes by and he does nothing and when called out for it, exclaims that it isn't his job. That burglar then killed Uncle Ben, i.e. his beloved surrogate father. This moral failure and lapse pretty much defines Spider-Man for the rest of his life, and his attempts to do good and redeem himself.

** Subverted in ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen''. During a mission to the Savage Land, ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} and ComicBook/{{Cyclops}} were alone, had no contact with the team, and Wolverine could have easily pushed Cyclops down a crevasse and no one would ever know the truth. So he does. And he doesn't feel bad about it either. Then he goes home and tries to get together with Jean.

*** Banner has all of Thor secrets in a SHIELD folder with his previous backstory. And Thor has all of Banner secrets... in his mind. He is aware that he cries every night over Betty's rejections, and that he fantasizes about hurting the Pyms for getting his old job.
*** In public, Henry Pym is all nice and all smiles, but when nobody is watching them, he is a violent domestic abuser.

** Peter is unique for the fact that he became a superhero because he failed this test. After getting superpowers on a silver platter in ''ComicBook/AmazingFantasyNumber15'', he tried to cash in on them and had no grand plans aside from using the money to provide for his family. But then a burglar passes by and he does nothing and when called out for it, exclaims that it isn't his job. That burglar then killed Uncle Ben, i.e. his beloved surrogate father. This moral failure and lapse pretty much defines Spider-Man for the rest of his life, and his attempts to do good and redeem himself.

* One of the running themes of ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** Peter is unique for the fact that he became a superhero because he failed this test. After getting superpowers on a silver platter in ComicBook/AmazingFantasyNumber15, he tried to cash it in, and had no grand plans aside from using the money to provide for his family. But then a burglar passes by and he does nothing and when called out for it, exclaims that it isn't his job. That burglar then killed Uncle Ben, i.e. his beloved surrogate father. This moral failure and lapse pretty much defines Spider-Man for the rest of his life, and his attempts to do good and redeem himself.

** Inverted in a ''Secret Wars II'' crossover. The Beyonder has transformed a skyscraper into solid gold. Spider-Man realizes that all of his financial woes would be solved if he takes even a transformed gold notebook. No one would ever know. So he takes it. However, he winds up wracked with guilt over it, which is ridiculous since he has literally saved the world dozens if not hundreds of times for free while living on what amounts to a subsistence lifestyle. He doesn't get over it until Black Cat steals the notebook from him.
** In Nick Spencer's run, Peter cites his refusal to turn in his unearned degree after his revival in his own body as another failing of a similar kind. He notes that after getting his body back he simply walked past a wall showing his graduate degree earned by Octavius in his body and he didn't turn it in and realizing this, he comes to the conclusion that the plagiarism scandal he faces is entirely deserved and justified.
** A ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' comic written by Roger Stern gives us a villainous example: Stilt Man [[ButtMonkey is desperate to achieve something]] and plots killing Spider-Man to earn some street cred. However, during the fight Spider-Man saves him from a laser beam which accidentally knocks him out. Stilt Man realizes that they are alone and Spider-Man is defenseless. He just could murder him and claim he killed him in a fair fight, and nobody would ever know the truth... nobody but him, that is. So he does not go through with it.
** Peter Parker experiences this early in his career (in ''The Amazing Spider-Man #5'') when his high school bully, Flash Thompson, dresses up as Spider-Man in a failed prank attempt and is captured by Doctor Doom by mistake. For about half a panel, Peter considers doing nothing, letting Doom take care of his problem for him. He then realizes that he could never let Flash come to harm, and Spider-Man heads off to the rescue.
* Back during the original run of ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' (when everyone still believes the disguised villains to be heroes) Franchise/SpiderMan is framed for murder, and the T-Bolts are assigned to apprehend him. At first, MACH-1 (who was formerly Spidey's enemy the Beetle) relishes the thought, but after he and the rest of the team fight alongside Spidey against the true threat, he throws away the chance to make the charge stick and get away with it, giving Spidey the evidence that clears him. He tells Baron Zemo he did it so Spider-Man wouldn't be suspicious and risk their covers but that's not the real reason. Why? He realizes he's supposed to be the hero, and after teaming up with his old foe, [[BecomingTheMask it's starting to grow on him.]] As he tells Moonstone on the last page of the comic, "This hero stuff... I think it's starting to become ''contagious''..."
* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel

** Peter is unique for the fact that he became a superhero because he failed this test. After getting superpowers on a silver platter in [[ComicBook/AmazingFantasyNumberFifteen Amazing Fantasy #15]], he tried to cash it in, and had no grand plans aside from using the money to provide for his family. But then a burglar passes by and he does nothing and when called out for it, exclaims that it isn't his job. That burglar then killed Uncle Ben, i.e. his beloved surrogate father. This moral failure and lapse pretty much defines Spider-Man for the rest of his life, and his attempts to do good and redeem himself.

* In a ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'' story from early in Creator/FrankMiller's run, DD is the only hero available to stop the Hulk from hurting anyone during one of his rampages. Naturally, Daredevil is completely outmatched, and the first few minutes of him facing the Hulk leave him badly wounded and forced to retreat to catch his breath. During this, Matt contemplates fleeing as he realizes how impossible his odds are, and nobody else would know that he turned tail and ran -- except for himself. Refusing to flee like a coward, he goes back and faces the Hulk and gets him to stand down in spite of his injuries.

* Inverted in a ''Secret Wars II'' Spider-Man crossover. The Beyonder has transformed a skyscraper into solid gold. Spider-Man realizes that all of his financial woes would be solved if he takes even a transformed gold notebook. No one would ever know. So he takes it. However, he winds up wracked with guilt over it, which is ridiculous since he has literally saved the world dozens if not hundreds of times for free while living on what amounts to a subsistence lifestyle. He doesn't get over it until Black Cat steals the notebook from him.

** In one early run of the comic, Peter follows this rule to a frankly absurd degree. An entire downtown building has been turned into gold ([[ItMakesSenseInContext don't ask]]), which many people trapped under rubble (increased weight+soft gold=not good). The government shows up to clean up and claims the gold as property of the state, while Spidey sneaks in to help people trapped. While he considers grabbing some gold for himself to help with his financial difficulties, he leaves it because it would be stealing... despite the fact that the gold in question was literally trash. Zigzagged at the end where he decides to take a used notebook he grabbed from a trashcan but says so to the soldiers guarding the place, with them having no immediate objections.

** Peter is unique for the fact that he became a superhero because he failed this test. After getting superpowers on a silver platter in Amazing Fantasy #15, he tried to cash it in, and had no grand plans aside from using the money to provide for his family. But then a burglar passes by and he does nothing and when called out for it, exclaims that it isn't his job. That burglar then killed Uncle Ben, i.e. his beloved surrogate father. This moral failure and lapse pretty much defines Spider-Man for the rest of his life, and his attempts to do good and redeem himself.