The Overpowered Trope: When Strength Undermines Storytelling

The “overpowered” trope in modern media, where a character is given nearly limitless power or abilities, has become a common way to create superheroes and heroines. However, this trope can quickly undermine storytelling by eliminating meaningful obstacles and reducing character development. Characters who are overpowered rarely face genuine challenges, and without struggle, growth becomes shallow or nonexistent.

Take Captain Marvel as an example. Carol Danvers, while an incredibly strong character, often feels impervious to conflict, which limits her emotional and narrative depth. Unlike characters like Iron Man or Spider-Man, who face internal struggles alongside external battles, Captain Marvel’s overpowering abilities seem to make her invincible, reducing the stakes of her journey. As a result, audiences may find it harder to connect with her, because her victories don’t feel earned or relatable.

The key to powerful storytelling is not in giving characters limitless strength, but in making their challenges meaningful. Characters like Black Panther or Thor have powerful abilities, but their stories are grounded in personal struggles and conflicts that shape their development. In contrast, overpowered characters can inadvertently create narratives that feel flat, leaving audiences with little to invest in beyond the spectacle.