World of Cardboard

"That man won't quit as long as he can still draw a breath. None of my teammates will. Me? I've got a different problem. I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control even for a moment, or someone could die. But you can take it, can't you, big man? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I really am."

Quote from superman unlimited...

Now this isnt a superman thread. So dont go get your panties in a bunch. This post is a question about what hero/s are also failed with this trope. And at what level? Who holds back the most?
And who when finally cutting loose eclipses the class they are most commonly placed? Finally which hero when pushed or pressed has been shown to be the most powerful of all?

So, who has to job the most?

Originally posted by DarkSaint85
So, who has to job the most?

Basically

Collosaunaut would be a prime example.
Spiderman
The Flash
Silver Surfer
Wonder Woman

Edit: Storm.

The Spot.

Originally posted by Sin I AM
Now this isnt a superman thread. So dont go get your panties in a bunch. This post is a question about what hero/s are also failed with this trope. And at what level? Who holds back the most?
And who when finally cutting loose eclipses the class they are most commonly placed? Finally which hero when pushed or pressed has been shown to be the most powerful of all?

Originally posted by DarkSaint85
Collosaunaut would be a prime example.
Spiderman
The Flash
Silver Surfer
Wonder Woman

Diana holds back? Everyone else i agree with

Originally posted by Galan007
Though this may not be a Superman thread, I would honestly have to say that Superman defines this question quite well...

Yea i know. The trope is derived from him. Which begs to ask the question. If when he takes the kid gloves off and quits pulling punches is he above the likes of darkseid and doomsday?

Originally posted by Sin I AM
Diana holds back? Everyone else i agree with

Yea i know. The trope is derived from him. Which begs to ask the question. If when he takes the kid gloves off and quits pulling punches is he above the likes of darkseid and doomsday?

Apparently so.

The only other character who eclipses his peers like this is Hulk.

It's his entire power set.

Originally posted by abhilegend
The only other character who eclipses his peers like this is Hulk.

It's his entire power set.

👆 And Hulk, of course. Holding back is what he does all the time.

Other candidates:
Sentry
Blue Beetle
Cyclops

Superman, Spiderman and Hulk.

The rest of the main heroes are not even worth having in this topic.

Considering this is the Spectre, Jaime is talking him down from killing him...

Wonder if it would've worked....

Originally posted by DarkSaint85

Apparently so.

Is that her holding back? Diana is consistently portrayed as ferocious in battle. And its not like if she can solo doomsday once she stops phucking around

On clark...

It depends against whom he is fighting and where he is fighting them.

If he is "fighting" some mugger in Gotham then he doesn't lift a finger.

If he is fighting a terrorist group in the middle east, he will utilise his speed to get civilians to safety and to disarm any threats as quickly as possible.

If he is fighting some low tiered super villain that poses no threat to him he will hold back a lot as to protect innocents.

If he is fighting Zod in central Metropolis he may be forced to use most of his strength, but he would still hold back sub conciously in case of collateral damage.

If he if fighting Darkseid on Apokolips he would go all out

Originally posted by Sin I AM
Is that her holding back? Diana is consistently portrayed as ferocious in battle. And its not like if she can solo doomsday once she stops phucking around

That was her 'not holding back'.

But her dialogue indicates that usually, she does. It's her version of Superman's 'world of cardboard' speech.

She's rarely ferocious with her gear, though. That would be her FP version, when she regularly carried her sword around and used her lasso lethally.

Originally posted by Sin I AM
On clark...

It depends against whom he is fighting and where he is fighting them.

If he is "fighting" some mugger in Gotham then he doesn't lift a finger.

If he is fighting a terrorist group in the middle east, he will utilise his speed to get civilians to safety and to disarm any threats as quickly as possible.

If he is fighting some low tiered super villain that poses no threat to him he will hold back a lot as to protect innocents.

If he is fighting Zod in central Metropolis he may be forced to use most of his strength, but he would still hold back sub conciously in case of collateral damage.

If he if fighting Darkseid on Apokolips he would go all out

Under this, Hal Jordan is another. Goes from bubbles, to boxing gloves, to fighter jets, to killing Krona with all the entities.

Originally posted by DarkSaint85
That was her 'not holding back'.

But her dialogue indicates that usually, she does. It's her version of Superman's 'world of cardboard' speech.

She's rarely ferocious with her gear, though. That would be her FP version, when she regularly carried her sword around and used her lasso lethally.

I suppose. I just didnt see a change in power levels. Like how spiderman goes from struggling with fisk in earlier portrayals to demolishing him. Maybe thats a bad analogy hopefully u get the jist

Originally posted by Sin I AM
I suppose. I just didnt see a change in power levels. Like how spiderman goes from struggling with fisk in earlier portrayals to demolishing him. Maybe thats a bad analogy hopefully u get the jist

I.e. Superman vs Imperiex Probes. He was desperately struggling with just one, until he cut loose and was beating dozens casually.

Originally posted by Philosophía
Yeah, we must make a difference between adjusting to the opponent [i.e. when facing street levelers - metas - high heralds], and being even/losing against an opponent due to holding back, then suddenly being far above him/equaling him.

I.e. Superman vs Imperiex Probes. He was desperately struggling with just one, until he cut loose and was beating dozens casually.

This.

Diana saying she's not going to pull punches with doomsday but still requiring assistance and getting her ass kicked isnt a good example imo. If she soloed or sromped that would have been a huge difference

My point was that Diana has the skills.

She has the equipment (the sword that can cut electrons in half or whatever it is).

But you don't see her slicing heads off.

On top of that, apparently, she DOES hold her strength back.

Essentially, if there was a thread with a WW out to kill, using her full gear - how far up the tier do you think she would get?