How would storylines change if characters fought at full canonical power without plot limitations?

I’ve been reflecting on how different stories could be if characters weren’t constrained by plot requirements. For instance, we often see extremely powerful characters in games capable of immense destruction, yet in narratives, they struggle against much weaker foes just to keep the plot interesting.

What if we eliminated those limitations entirely? Imagine if all characters could showcase their full potential drawn from their original material without being toned down to suit the story’s needs. It makes me wonder which battles would end up with completely altered results and how significantly the narrative would shift.

Take, for example, those characters who are portrayed as overwhelmingly strong, yet are defeated by inferior opponents due to storytelling necessities. Without those imposed restrictions, would the storyline collapse entirely, or would it simply evolve differently?

Has this crossed anyone else’s mind? Which narratives do you feel would undergo the most drastic changes?

Superman would break every story he’s in if writers didn’t constantly nerf him with kryptonite or morals.

You’re spot on. If characters operated at their full power, many stories would wrap up way too quickly. Like, Goku would just show up and end things in a flash. And it’s wild seeing someone who can summon meteors having trouble with common thugs. It really takes away from the story if they’re not allowed to unleash their full potential. We’d probably miss the buildup and tension if everyone just went all out right away.

Most JRPGs would end in 5 minutes if the main character actually used their world-ending abilities from the start. It’s hilarious how someone who can split mountains gets wrecked by random bandits.