rdfs:comment
| - A train is out of control! It's up to a Superhero to stop it! This trope is usually used because it doesn't need a supervillain (although sometimes one does exist to derail the train). It shows, thus, that the superhero does more than just fight useless battles against supervillains - which makes sense, as the supervillains usually appear after the hero's debut, making people wonder whose fault it is that the villain exists. Oh, also, sometimes there's just a hole in the bridge for the hero to fix. He'll usually put himself between the extremities and "act" as the missing rails.
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abstract
| - A train is out of control! It's up to a Superhero to stop it! This trope is usually used because it doesn't need a supervillain (although sometimes one does exist to derail the train). It shows, thus, that the superhero does more than just fight useless battles against supervillains - which makes sense, as the supervillains usually appear after the hero's debut, making people wonder whose fault it is that the villain exists. In addition, it allows the hero to showcase their strength, and to save the lives of innocent people. It's also a good method of comparing heroes. Superman just holds the train until it stops, while Spider-Man has to use webs attached to lampposts. So, stopping the train is almost like a graduation for a super hero. A bit like The Worf Effect, except Worf is a train. You're a nobody unless you can stop a large moving vehicle. Used more in The Golden Age of Comic Books, when trains were a popular means of transportation in the US (where most Superhero stories come from), but still alive today. One could put on a tinfoil hat to mention that, if not for the supers, there would be a lot of train crashes, and it seems the train regulation committee forgot OSHA Compliance when they noticed some dude in a cape always appeared to save the passengers. Oh, also, sometimes there's just a hole in the bridge for the hero to fix. He'll usually put himself between the extremities and "act" as the missing rails. See also Chained to a Railway, Superhero. Do not confuse with Trainspotting.
* One of the many methods for Cutting the Knot, as noted on the page.
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