Tropescilloscope: Historical Hero Upgrade
Fictionalized portrayal of a historical figure as more heroic than their real-life counterpart. (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Biopic
Eldritch Abomination
Historical Villain Upgrade
Imagine Spot
Tranquil Fury
Stealth Pun
Vomit Discretion Shot
HeelFace Turn
Adaptational Villainy
Coming-of-Age Story
Superhero
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
The '90s
The Mafia
Bilingual Bonus
It Can Think
Action Survivor
Book-Ends
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
For Want of a Nail
The Alcoholic
In Name Only
Red Eyes, Take Warning
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Make It Look Like an Accident
Gone Horribly Right
Made of Iron
Cassandra Truth
Body Horror
Authority Equals Asskicking
Laughing Mad
Sassy Black Woman
In the Back
Took a Level in Jerkass
Green-Eyed Monster
Enemy Mine
Woman in White
Video Credits
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Artistic License Geography
Leitmotif
The Chessmaster
Parental Abandonment
Big-Bad Ensemble
Italian Films
Toplessness from the Back
Non-Indicative Name
The Atoner
Exact Words
Our Vampires Are Different
Recycled IN SPACE!
Only a Flesh Wound
Black Dude Dies First
Crazy Jealous Guy
Better to Die than Be Killed
Shut Up, Hannibal!
The Stoic
Hero of Another Story
The Alleged Car
Say My Name
Henpecked Husband
The Chick
Anguished Declaration of Love
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Alas, Poor Villain
Ambiguous Ending
Adaptation Dye-Job
Black Comedy
Bond One-Liner
Mighty Whitey
Failed a Spot Check
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Brutal Honesty
Drugs Are Bad
Line-of-Sight Name
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
Anti-Hero
One-Man Army
Smoking Is Cool
Disguised in Drag
Took a Level in Badass
Department of Redundancy Department
Spell My Name with an "S"
Storming the Castle
Skewed Priorities
Madness Mantra
The Un-Reveal
Deus ex Machina
Gainax Ending
Historical In-Joke
Bloody Hilarious
Rule of Three
Heroic Sacrifice
Serial Killer
Romantic Comedy
Curb-Stomp Battle
Hidden Depths
Sadistic Choice
20 Minutes into the Future
Scenery Gorn
Bury Your Gays
Fun with Acronyms
Dying Moment of Awesome
Call-Forward
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
Dark and Troubled Past
Dropped a Bridge on Him
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
Only Sane Man
Intergenerational Friendship
Poor Communication Kills
The Power of Love
Disney Villain Death
Bad Boss
Never Found the Body
Animal Title Index
Important Haircut
BrotherSister Incest
Rousing Speech
Demonic Possession
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Funny Background Event
NO INDOOR VOICE
Ass Shove
Despair Event Horizon
Bloodier and Gorier
La Résistance
Homage
Back from the Dead
Insane Troll Logic
Undying Loyalty
Daddy's Girl
The Film of the Book
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
You Have Failed Me
Chekhov's Gun
Fantasy Films
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Naked People Are Funny
Determinator
Every Car Is a Pinto
Dissonant Serenity
Fantastic Racism
Take a Third Option
Star-Crossed Lovers
Retired Badass
Continuity Nod
Humiliation Conga
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Adaptation Expansion
Grey and Gray Morality
Genre Throwback
Cool Old Lady
Blatant Lies
Gold Digger
Wham Shot
Insistent Terminology
Evil Sounds Deep
The Cavalry
Adaptational Badass
Badass Normal
Sir Swears-a-Lot
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
Ship Tease
Composite Character
Man on Fire
Token Minority
Deliberately Monochrome
Moment Killer
Ironic Echo
Foil
Facial Horror
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
Deliberate Values Dissonance
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
Cloudcuckoolander
An Arm and a Leg
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Ax-Crazy
Mercy Kill
Never Trust a Trailer
How We Got Here
Training Montage
Ambiguously Gay
An Axe to Grind
Anyone Can Die
Attempted Rape
And I Must Scream
Retcon
Villainous Breakdown
Random Events Plot
Vacation Films
Reality Is Unrealistic
Cold-Blooded Torture
Eiffel Tower Effect
Bittersweet Ending
This Is Gonna Suck
Ghost Fiction
Knife Nut
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Red Shirt
Extreme Doormat
Break the Cutie
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
Evil Counterpart
Destination Defenestration
Downer Ending
Villain with Good Publicity
Put on a Bus
Defrosting Ice Queen
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
I'm a Humanitarian
Artistic License Military
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
All Just a Dream
Aside Glance
Camp Gay
Outrun the Fireball
Manchild
Anachronic Order
In Medias Res
Zombie Stories
Let's Get Dangerous!
Left the Background Music On
Australian Movies
Cool Shades
Evil Is Hammy
Bloodless Carnage
Adapted Out
Product Placement
Awesome, but Impractical
Unreliable Narrator
Nothing Is Scarier
Taking You with Me
Adaptational Heroism
Chekhov's Gunman
Action Prologue
Spiritual Successor
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Posthumous Character
Stealth Hi/Bye
Protagonist Title
Fan Disservice
Death by Adaptation
FaceHeel Turn
The Hero
Race Lift
Expy
Adaptational Attractiveness
Demoted to Extra
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Rasputinian Death
Rule of Cool
Hoist by His Own Petard
Fanservice Extra
Cat Scare
Hope Spot
Adults Are Useless
Riddle for the Ages
Slashed Throat
Straight Gay
Sinister Minister
Accidental Misnaming
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Dark Action Girl
Mad Scientist
It Will Never Catch On
Mystery and Detective Films
Badass Grandpa
Camera Abuse
B-Movie
Interrupted Suicide
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Curse Cut Short
Rated M for Manly
Affably Evil
All There in the Script
Berserk Button
The Smurfette Principle
Contrived Coincidence
Novelization
Depraved Bisexual
Worthy Opponent
A God Am I
Those Wacky Nazis
Evil vs. Evil
Hong Kong Films
Bi the Way
Frame-Up
Mistaken for Gay
The '70s
Older Than They Look
Bowdlerise
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Dark Reprise
Music Stories
Hypocrite
Stock Footage
Broken Aesop
Only in It for the Money
Happily Married
Have a Gay Old Time
Empathic Environment
Advertised Extra
Punch-Clock Villain
Oh, Crap!
Corpsing
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
Psychopathic Manchild
Dramatic Irony
Cruel and Unusual Death
Butt-Monkey
Horror Films
Twist Ending
Overprotective Dad
Sports Stories
Irony
Those Two Guys
Slasher Smile
Visual Pun
Would Hit a Girl
Jitter Cam
Friend to All Children
Hate Sink
Combat Pragmatist
Missing Mom
Pyrrhic Victory
Scary Black Man
Badass Longcoat
Kids Are Cruel
Apocalypse How
Distracted by the Sexy
The '50s
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Meaningful Echo
Dirty Cop
Celebrity Paradox
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
Adaptation Distillation
The End... Or Is It?
Title Drop
MacGuffin
World of Ham
The Stoner
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
Due to the Dead
She Cleans Up Nicely
Japanese Films
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Bland-Name Product
Offscreen Teleportation
He Who Fights Monsters
Pimped-Out Dress
Didn't Think This Through
Pay Evil unto Evil
Killed Mid-Sentence
It's All About Me
Crucified Hero Shot
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
Overly Long Gag
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
Foregone Conclusion
Actor Allusion
Would Hurt a Child
Neck Lift
Shown Their Work
Groin Attack
Artistic License Gun Safety
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
Black Comedy Rape
The Quiet One
Setting Update
Self-Deprecation
Establishing Character Moment
Covers Always Lie
timeperiod
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
Love at First Sight
Crazy-Prepared
Pragmatic Adaptation
Unresolved Sexual Tension
Works Set in World War II
Mind Screw
Slasher Movie
Eagleland
Only Known by Their Nickname
Blood from the Mouth
Mood Whiplash
From Bad to Worse
Big Fancy House
Neck Snap
Comically Missing the Point
True Companions
Faking the Dead
The Casanova
The Ace
Reality Has No Subtitles
After the End
Meaningful Name
Expository Hairstyle Change
Freudian Excuse
Precision F-Strike
Easily Forgiven
My Greatest Failure
Jerkass Has a Point
Children Are Innocent
Get Out!
Mugging the Monster
Narrator
Implacable Man
Flashback
Silent Movie
As You Know
Villain Protagonist
Immune to Bullets
Eyepatch of Power
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
Documentary
Pragmatic Villainy
Credits Gag
The Ghost
Darkest Hour
For the Evulz
I Need a Freaking Drink
Kill It with Fire
Improbable Weapon User
Epic Movie
Drowning My Sorrows
Gorn
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Wicked Cultured
Revenge
The Remake
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
Not So Stoic
The Lancer
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Arc Words
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Big Brother Instinct
Crapsack World
Shout-Out
Reckless Gun Usage
Death Seeker
Police are Useless
Show Within a Show
Karmic Death
Alliterative Name
Half the Man He Used to Be
Foreshadowing
Dramedy
Hypocritical Humor
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Wham Line
Fat Bastard
The Sociopath
Shell-Shocked Veteran
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Fatal Flaw
It's Personal
Arranged Marriage
Adorkable
Mundane Made Awesome
Those Two Bad Guys
The Bully
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
Punny Name
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Arch-Enemy
Defiant to the End
Sanity Slippage
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Ascended Extra
German Films
Does Not Like Shoes
Cat Fight
Once More, with Clarity!
The Lost Lenore
Armor-Piercing Question
Agony of the Feet
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Age Lift
Hollywood Darkness
Anachronism Stew
Malevolent Masked Men
All There in the Manual
The Vamp
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
The Load
Captain Ersatz
Red Herring
Tagline
Scenery Porn
From Nobody to Nightmare
Author Avatar
Broken Pedestal
Index of Film Westerns
Sci-Fi Horror
Badass Bookworm
Take That!
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
Scare Chord
What Happened to the Mouse?
No Antagonist
Rewatch Bonus
Deal with the Devil
Black and Gray Morality
Extremely Short Timespan
Film Noir
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Kick the Dog
Death Glare
Chekhov's Skill
Villain Opening Scene
Creator Cameo
The Bad Guy Wins
Meet Cute
More Dakka
Greater-Scope Villain
Monumental Damage
Abusive Parents
Sequel Escalation
Instant Death Bullet
Hell Is That Noise
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
Historical Hero Upgrade
Same Language Dub
Artistic License Law
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Betty and Veronica
One-Word Title
Nice Guy
French Films
The Reveal
The Dreaded
Too Dumb to Live
Bullying a Dragon
Funny Foreigner
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
Deadpan Snarker
Shower Scene
"Awesome McCool" Name
The Cameo
Heroes Want Redheads
Character Development
Hollywood Law
Jerk Jock
Noodle Incident
Action Girl
Shirtless Scene
Artistic License History
The Place
Papa Wolf
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
Fake Shemp
Not Using the "Z" Word
Famous Last Words
Psychological Thriller
Spiteful Spit
Brainless Beauty
Truth in Television
Ambiguous Disorder
Honor Before Reason
Pretty in Mink
An Aesop
Russian Films
Politically Incorrect Villain
No OSHA Compliance
Dogged Nice Guy
Earn Your Happy Ending
Spanner in the Works
Genre Shift
Cain and Abel
Taking the Bullet
A Date with Rosie Palms
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
Shipper on Deck
Large Ham
Eureka Moment
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Victoria's Secret Compartment
Early Installment Weirdness
Dirty Old Man
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Naïve Newcomer
All for Nothing
Humans Are Bastards
Paper-Thin Disguise
Action Genre
Sole Survivor
Made of Explodium
Dramatic Gun Cock
The Voiceless
Morality Pet
Knight Templar
Dark Is Not Evil
Ms. Fanservice
Badass Boast
Male Gaze
I Did What I Had to Do
Obviously Evil
Creative Closing Credits
The Oner
Properly Paranoid
Stuff Blowing Up
Damsel in Distress
Manly Tears
Air-Vent Passageway
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
Bare Your Midriff
Idiot Ball
Science Fiction Films
Never My Fault
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
Evil Plan
He Knows Too Much
Spared by the Adaptation
As Himself
Romantic False Lead
Rich Bitch
Sequel Hook
Stalker with a Crush
Dirty Coward
Alpha Bitch
As the Good Book Says...
The Hero Dies
Tap on the Head
Trailers Always Spoil
Karma Houdini
Darker and Edgier
Fire-Forged Friends
Disproportionate Retribution
Animated Credits Opening
Parental Substitute
Wretched Hive
Pretty Little Headshots
Real Life Writes the Plot
Chiaroscuro
Rule of Funny
Cool Old Guy
Batman Gambit
The '80s
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Cowboy Cop
Blood Knight
Dumb Blonde
Mr. Exposition
Translation Convention
Framing Device
What the Hell, Hero?
Dies Wide Open
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Artistic License Physics
All Men Are Perverts
Meaningful Background Event
Up to Eleven
Plot Hole
Race Against the Clock
Wrong Genre Savvy
Jump Scare
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Match Cut
Intrepid Reporter
Film Noir Index
Totally Radical
Badass in a Nice Suit
Last-Name Basis
Lighter and Softer
Fate Worse than Death
Sexy Discretion Shot
No-Sell
Reality Ensues
Big "NO!"
The Mole
No Ending
Motor Mouth
Laser-Guided Karma
Real Life
Affectionate Parody
Christmas Movies Index
Big Eater
Stepford Smiler
Suddenly SHOUTING!
Re-Cut
Calling the Old Man Out
Hair-Trigger Temper
Artistic License Biology
Here We Go Again!
Bar Brawl
N-Word Privileges
Faux Affably Evil
Not So Above It All
Face Death with Dignity
Early-Bird Cameo
Horror Comedy
All Girls Want Bad Boys
Beta Couple
Canadian Movies
Lock and Load Montage
Pet the Dog
Eye Scream
Chewing the Scenery
The Great Depression
Bald of Evil
Heterosexual Life-Partners
Kubrick Stare
Manipulative Bastard
Death of a Child
Double Entendre
Parental Neglect
Insult Backfire
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
Boom, Headshot!
Animal Motifs
Nice Hat
Driven to Suicide
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Everyone Has Standards
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Rule of Symbolism
Death by Sex
Big Applesauce
Break the Haughty
The Stinger
Black Best Friend
Sacrificial Lion
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
Big Bad Duumvirate
Parental Incest
Jerkass
Evil Brit
Big Bad
War Is Hell
Captain Obvious
Canon Foreigner
Redemption Equals Death
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Femme Fatale
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
Leave the Camera Running
Genre Savvy
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Evil-Detecting Dog
Off with His Head!
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
Disappeared Dad
Thriller
Fingore
Central Theme
Informed Ability
Kick the Son of a Bitch
Not So Different
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
Anti-Villain
Kill 'em All
Hero Antagonist
Chase Scene
Good Is Not Nice
You Killed My Father
Asshole Victim
The '60s
Military and Warfare Films
Sealed Evil in a Can
Public Domain Feature Films
Handicapped Badass
Word of God
Smug Snake
Married to the Job
The Smart Guy
Dutch Angle
Accidental Murder
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Soft Glass
Retirony
Deconstruction
BFG
What You Are in the Dark
Author Appeal
Call-Back
Television Movie Index
Your Head A-Splode
Costume Porn
Historical-Domain Character
Daylight Horror
Drives Like Crazy
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Police Brutality
Cluster F-Bomb
Improvised Weapon
Card-Carrying Villain
Logo Joke
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
Death by Irony
Light Is Not Good
No Name Given
Bad "Bad Acting"
Fanservice
Even Evil Has Standards
Really Gets Around
Corrupt Corporate Executive
'80s Hair
Becoming the Mask
The Faceless
Fourth Date Marriage
Market-Based Title
Diabolus ex Machina
Serious Business
Mr. Fanservice
Playing Gertrude
Red Oni, Blue Oni
Almost Kiss
Silence Is Golden
Villain Ball
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
The Starscream
Major Injury Underreaction
And Starring
Babies Ever After
Lampshade Hanging
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
Plucky Comic Relief
Bring My Brown Pants
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
Auto Erotica
Dual Wielding
Did Not Get the Girl
Gratuitous English
Cool Guns
Ripped from the Headlines
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Loads and Loads of Characters
folderlabel
Maybe Ever After
Adaptation Name Change
Dwindling Party
Gender Flip
Gilligan Cut
Martial Arts Movie
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Fainting
Well-Intentioned Extremist
Big Damn Heroes
Woman Scorned
Vitriolic Best Buds
I Have Your Wife
She's Got Legs
Redshirt Army
Dull Surprise
Five-Man Band
Guns Akimbo
Developing Doomed Characters
Heroic BSoD
Amusing Injuries
Beware the Nice Ones
Your Cheating Heart
One Steve Limit
Casting Gag
Guile Hero
Double-Meaning Title
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
The Big Guy
Bond Villain Stupidity
The Ditz
My Beloved Smother
Bottomless Magazines
Not What It Looks Like
Reasonable Authority Figure
Amoral Attorney
The Musical
Adult Fear
Brick Joke
Not Quite Dead
Stylistic Suck
Time Skip
Fish out of Water
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
A Minor Kidroduction
Fatal Family Photo
Obfuscating Stupidity
Blackmail
Gory Discretion Shot
Loophole Abuse
Grievous Bottley Harm
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
Evil Laugh
Catch-Phrase
Mythology Gag
Film Series
Tempting Fate
Bavarian Fire Drill
Award-Bait Song
Catapult Nightmare
Bound and Gagged
Soundtrack Dissonance
Love Triangle
Beard of Evil
Whole Plot Reference
The Dragon
Vampire Fiction
British Films
Fiery Redhead
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Antagonist Title
Mexican Standoff
Together in Death
Yandere
A Father to His Men
Rape as Drama
Refuge in Audacity
Car Fu
The X of Y
Bolivian Army Ending
Dressing as the Enemy
Epic Fail
Only One Name
Improbable Aiming Skills
Creepy Child
Broken Bird
Psycho for Hire
Disney Death
Mooks
And the Adventure Continues
Country Matters
Running Gag
Our Zombies Are Different
Ominous Latin Chanting
Closed Circle
Suspiciously Specific Denial
Cool Car
Red Right Hand
Room Full of Crazy
Bait-and-Switch
Abhorrent Admirer
Male Frontal Nudity
Decoy Protagonist
Final Girl
Based on a True Story
Heel Realization
Actually Pretty Funny
Ungrateful Bastard
My God, What Have I Done?
Unusual Euphemism
The Brute
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Domestic Abuse
Super Strength
The Dog Bites Back
MayDecember Romance
Villain Song
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
Evil Is Petty
Annoying Younger Sibling
Flipping the Bird
Conspicuous CG
Mama Bear
Be Careful What You Wish For
Small Name, Big Ego