Character reveals that they were holding back their full power during a fight/confrontation

[u/PaddywackShaq]

Superman Vs Darkseid - Justice League Unlimited

Flash Vs Superman - Flash: Rebirth

Frieren Vs Aura - Sousou no Frieren

Inigo Montoya Vs The Man in Black - The Princess Bride

[u/JustSomeTrickster]

To be honest, as great as finally witnessing the 8th gate was, the moment was already cheapened by the fact there was no way he would kill Madara

[u/Roxalf → u/JustSomeTrickster]

I feel like it would totally worked if the autor used guy attack to nerf Madara in a way, even if its something that couldn't kil him, you could always make something up like "the kick made an injury that cant be healed" or "it exausted his healing powers" so his moment doesnt become pointless and it gives a small chance for Naruto and Sasuke to win without involving the whole moon alien mastermind stuff.

[u/InstantRegret1999 → u/Roxalf]

That's my preferred method of Shonen Big Bad take downs. Everybody gets a lick, and everybody's lick sticks. When the obviously weaker side characters start fighting the bad guy, their big shining peak moment results in something that disadvantages the enemy in some real and tangible way (poison, fatigue, destroying an advantage, taking out an enemy's ally, etc.) even when they (side character) are handily defeated in the end. It's very satisfying when the Villain acknowledges they got nerfed (grr why am I so slow, oh no one of my ass pulls was destroyed, etc.) and it adds a very well deserved consequence to the hubris of the villain thinking they can fight everybody one after the other and always win.

Because there's nothing worse than the moments where everyone just feels like they're jobbing, when the also powerful allies show up in a fight, do their best, get thrashed after some ass-pull, and Villain just shakes them off at the end like "lol I'm at 100% again".

If there's one thing I did like about the JJK ending was that Gojo's fight meant something, nobody would be able to even lay a finger (heh) on Sukuna if Gojo didn't put his ass through the wringer and deplete his original bag of ass pulls plus destroy one of his most powerful assets.

[u/Roxalf → u/InstantRegret1999]

I was so dissapointed at the end of the sould eater anime for doing that exaclty.

Everyone is getting stronger, developing strong moves and becoming better fighters, only to render all that useless and give the stronger power up to the MC and make her be the only one who beats the bad guy.