r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Tannerknox • May 29 '26

Powers (Loved Trope) Character finally reveals their true power level

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John Wick - the viewer spends the first 25ish minutes just being told John Wick has an infamous past of being an assassin. Once the first home invasion happens, we see him fully unleash the Baba Yaga, completely annihilating a dozen unsuspecting assailants.

Rebel Ridge - the viewer learns early on that Terry Richmond is a Marine veteran who was never sent overseas for an initially unclear reason. Over half-an-hour into the movie he has a standoff with the town’s corrupt police chief. It’s revealed in this scene that he’s THE martial arts instructor for the Marines. He proceeds to disarm two police officers with extreme efficiency.

Naruto - Rock Lee is a character we’ve seen prove to be a capable fighter in a couple of episodes prior to his fight with Gaara, despite Rock not having any inherent Ninjutsu abilities. When his strikes can’t make it through Gaara’s automatic sand shields, Rock’s instructor, Guy, gives Rock permission to take off his leg weights. The bystanders watching the fight don’t understand how taking off some leg weights will give Rock an edge in the fight, but then when Rock drops them, they’re revealed to be hundreds, maybe thousands of pounds. This then reveals that Rock can move at super speed, and he can shockingly out maneuver Gaara’s first layer of shielding.

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u/Mr_Flibble_Lv2 May 29 '26

The Princess Bride, happens twice during the dual between Wesley and Indigo, it turns out the nether one is left handed! https://youtu.be/GT0TBWg3C3k?

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u/GoodGuyPokemoner May 29 '26

The GOAT fencing battle in all of cinema!

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u/SmokeyHooves May 29 '26

I used this fight in my theater sword choreography class. Not only as a show of some well rehearsed sword fighting (that also follows the very simple rules we were learning) but how the characters themselves make the fight.

It’s also a great example of how not every fight needs to end with a kill.

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u/dirtyoldsocklife May 29 '26

"Kill me quick..."

"I'd as soon destroy a stained glass window as an artist such as yourself. But since I can't have you following me..."

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u/GrecoRomanGuy May 29 '26

CLUNK

"Please understand I hold you in the highest respect."

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u/popemegaforce May 29 '26

Our professor did this for us, too! It was one of a few examples in cinema using really rather simple ideas to tell a complex story through choreography. Anyone who trashes this scene or talks about how this movie isn’t that good gets a suspicious look from me. Can’t trust folks like that.

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u/ZirePhiinix May 30 '26

It'll happen with younger audiences when they get brain rotted to require ADHD hand-holding when watching movies.

It's already happening because execs assume people watch shows and movies while looking at their phones, so complex plots are gone and any story elements are painfully simple and verbose, repeated in whole every time it comes up.

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u/alphazero925 May 30 '26

Complex plots still exist. Like look at what A24 has been putting out, obviously not the most complex movies ever, but Primer didn't exactly put butts in seats even when it originally came out. Not everything is Marvel or a Netflix Original

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u/Miclash013 May 30 '26

Yep, the infamous Netflix Scene. Where multiple times during a movie a character metaphorically looks at the audience dead in the eye and repeats every single important story beat from the movie.

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u/LobstermenUwU May 29 '26

Hmmm, as a theater sword teacher, what do you think of this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljExTEPNFnM

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u/SmokeyHooves May 30 '26

I’m a theater student/elementary school teacher so not an expert.

But really, the actual sword play is your basic stances but really quick. In Shakespearean sword play you have two low guards, two high guards and your high. So a standard defense is position 1 (low left) position 2 (low right) position 3 (high left) position 4 (high right) and than position 5 which is a diagonal guard.

So even in his really fast parrying scene he’s going from position 5, to position 2 over and over again. What makes the scene is the character interactions. The choreography is actually really simple, but when you rehearse these things over and over again, the impressive part comes from their execution and speed. Tie that to good dialogue, it’s a good scene.

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u/LobstermenUwU May 30 '26

Thank you for that analysis! It's my favorite swordfighting scene, the sheer speed of it is amazing, and the storytelling it does without the need for dialogue, the need for anything but their motions is just incredible.

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u/UwasaWaya May 30 '26

I knew what it was going to be before I even clicked it. lol. Such an incredible scene.

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u/m4cksfx May 29 '26

There's also a pretty great sabre duel in Potop. A young, pretty skilled hothead vs a very skilled older warrior.

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u/total_idiot01 May 29 '26

Probably the best saber duel in cinema

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u/foxfirefizz May 29 '26

I'm sorry, I had to come back to compliment your icon. I have a sticker of him on my tablet case, always wild to see him in the wild.

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u/Z0idberg_MD May 29 '26

Naturally, but I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro.

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u/Downtown_Pen_5720 May 29 '26

Unless your opponent has studied his Agrippa. Which I have.

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u/Roku-Hanmar May 30 '26

Notably, those are all actual fencing styles

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u/Downtown_Pen_5720 May 30 '26

Indeed, another reason to love that movie. Inspired my love of everything swords and fantasy/adventure.

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u/beattywill80 May 29 '26

Respectfully I think "The Mark of Zorro" (1940) fits that bill better. Both Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone were both classically trained fencers. Longer takes, fewer cuts, and the speed at which both of them move is truly impressive. Genuinely, if you haven't seen the film please do so, its a fun and charming treat.

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u/LobstermenUwU May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26

While the story is good, NO.

This is the GOAT fencing battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljExTEPNFnM

Fought between two men who actually knew how to fight with swords. Some of those moves are ridiculously dangerous, because they're swordfighting moves. Also those swords, although period accurate cavalry sabers, are incredibly dangerous dueling swords because of their lack of a real crossguard.

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u/BrucieDahMoosie May 30 '26

Younger me diving into my family’s Polish heritage is how I discovered the concept of Sabre dueling AND the deluge. Goated sword fight

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u/AdministrationRude85 May 30 '26

Thanks for sharing this, it's a great scene! It also shows that the one with a less flashy style actually wins, as he has more control and doesn't exhaust himself. 

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u/vitorabf May 30 '26

Not only the battle is great but the story behind it is amazing as well

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u/BillyVan33 May 30 '26

For me it will always be Scaramouche