I'm Not a Hero, I'm X/Playing With
Basic Trope: The Hero denies being a hero.
- Straight: Bob singlehandedly save the passengers of an out-of-control train. When the news reporter claim him a hero, Bob utter this trope.
- Exaggerated: Bob singlehandedly save everyone on the planet from a certain death by meteor crash. When the news reporter claim him a hero, Bob goes on a long rant explaining why he's not a hero.
- Downplayed: Bob singlehandedly save the passengers of an out-of-control train. When the news reporter claim him a hero, Bob says that it's because he has the competence to do so, and it doesn't come out as boasting.
- Justified: Bob is a humble person.
- Bob is a beta- or even omega-type guy.
- Bob doesn't like the responsibilities that will inevitably come to heroes.
- Bob's saving the passengers resulted in serious damage, probably the equal amount if he don't save the passengers.
- Bob had legitimately self-serving motives for his seeming act of heroism, and spells them out in no uncertain terms. He doesn't really care if a bunch of complete strangers lived or died as a result of his actions.
- Inverted: Bob is caught dooming the passengers to a burning train-wreck. When the torch-and-pitchfork mobs come at him, he say "No, I'm not a villain. I Did What I Had to Do." The other option was endangering the lives of people on the route of the train.
- Subverted: "I'm not hero, I'm a SUPERHERO. Write THAT down in your newspaper!"
- Double Subverted: "...is what I'd like to say, but I guess anyone will do what I do if they were in my position. Think Nothing of It."
- Parodied: "I'm not a hero, I'm just a social reject with no jobs, no money, no hope of the future. This is just a momentary flash of altruism in the infinitely cold darkness that is my life. Now if you will excuse me, I'll cut myself."
- Zig Zagged: ???
- Averted: No one acts like a hero, no one can praise them, thus no one can deny the claim.
- Enforced: An Aesop, either about humility, or about being proud of your achievement.
- Lampshaded: "You don't seem to be the flashy type, aren't you?"
- Invoked: ???
- Exploited: The reporter then proceed to barrage Bob with Hannibal Lecture, because she's a minion of Dr. Evulz. It worked.
- Defied: "I'm not a hero, I'm-" "He's the hero, folks! Give him an applause!" "Yeah! Bob is the man!" "Guess I'm the hero."
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: ???
I'm not a hero, I'm just a link back to the trope page.