Discussion Main / AdaptationalWimp

I feel like the name of this page seems a bit insulting and can be misleading when it comes to certain characters, but there was already a discussion about that years ago and nothing was changed. So I was thinking maybe there should be a split trope specifically for characters who had superpowers in the source material, but don't in the adaptation? It could be called something like "Adaptational Normal" or "Adaptational Muggle" (I don't know if any tropes with that word in the name are planned on being renamed to distance from J K Rowling though). There might need to be something to make it clear that it's specifically related to superpowers and not Adpatiation Species Change; the trope would only apply if the character is still the same species as they were in the source material. I'm not sure what should be done about characters who still have their superpowers but aren't as powerful, though. Maybe there should also be tropes called "Adaptational Power Downgrade" and the opposite, "Adaptational Power Upgrade"? But I don't know if those have been discussed before or not.

Actually, maybe a better idea would be to rename Adaptational Badass to "Adatpational Strength Upgrade" and Adaptational Wimp to "Adaptational Strength Downgrade", (strength can apply to both physical abilities and superpowers) and then it can be decided if those should be split into tropes applying purely to whether someone has superpowers at all or not.

This trope can be one of the catalysts for a character to become a Memetic Loser because of how they're treated in the adaptation

The X-Men Film Series examples in live action film Adaptational Wimp page are long enough to get their own page.The DCEU examples short short enough for now though.

I agree with Nostalgia Critic, M. Night Shamaylan is an idiot, and a hack! And an idiotic hack!

Previous Trope Repair Shop thread: Complaining, started by KJMackley on Jun 7th 2014 at 4:56:20 AM

Aquaman had balls! But Hanna-Barbara neutered him!

In Super Friends, how are those fish supporting his weight?

• The Flash, Red Robin and Superman from Kingdom Come all gang up on their chosen opponent for that world. However, that world's champion proves to be powerful and formidable enough to take out both The Flash and Red Robin with barely any trouble, forcing a pissed-off Superman to show up and challenge him directly. And that powerful, formidable opponent is...Superboy?!?!

Removed this for now, due to one question:

Is this a case of Red Robin and Flash being Adaptational Wimps, or is this a case of Superboy being an Adaptational Badass?

Removed this example:

• It's Watson herself that has NO physical capabilities, in Elementary. Moran still has the physical capability to KILL Sherlock. Cue season 1, episode 3, cue gun being pointed at Sherlock. Most likely Moran. Hmm-I wonder what would've happened if he DID shoot Sherlock. Oh, that's right-a certain war veteran adrenaline junkie would be flat-out PISSED. Yeah, that's right. The BBC version of Watson would be VERY pissed-and the end result for Moran would be, well.....less than pleasant.

There's no reason for an entry about Elementary to be talking about Sherlock. Especially because it gives the impression that (despite being completely different shows) that the Elementary!Watson was facing off against the (physically weak) Sherlock!Moran- Elementary!Moran is a brutal assassin played by Vinnie Jones.

I was thinking of keeping the example and changing it just to say how the Elementary!Watson is a former surgeon as opposed to an army doctor as in the origianl. (Note, getting this info from googling, not really familiar with the show) However, I'm wondering she works as an example given that she's more intellectual competent than is typical of a Watson, even the original and if Joan plays up Watson's intelligence, the Watson of Sherlock plays up his physical prowess (which is to say that he's and Adaptational Badass and it doesn't make her a Wimp to not be as physically skilled as he is).

This was under the comics section.

• Green Lantern in All Star Batman And Robin is arguably only there to whine and make Batman look good.

Needs to be expanded on to determine if it actually belongs here.

This example was previously up under Live Action Films:

• Five words: Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios.

This is Two Words: Obvious Trope and Zero Context Example at their very worst. If anyone thinks Elektra needs to be here then please expand on this example. Until then it's off the page.