History BadassCreed / Comicbooks

* In the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series, but most commonly [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics the Archie comics]], there’s always a Badass Creed used to summon upon the power of one of the emeralds, usually the Master Emerald, for a specific request, usually along the lines of “The servers are the seven chaos emeralds, chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the chaos.” followed by the request. The badass-ness of this is shown in its full height at the end of the Enerjak arc, as Knuckles and Doctor Finitevus both channel the energy of the Master Emerald and prepare to strike the other down with one energy charged punch, in a way that seems to invoke the feeling of a battle between Hal Jordan and Sinestro.

[[folder:Green Lantern]]
In ''Franchise/GreenLantern'', every Lantern has an oath they swear when recharging their ring.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0ZFlID5b7o The different oaths.]]
* The original, Alan Scott, had a rather pithy and poetic oath:
-->“''… And I shall shed [[LightIsGood my light]] over [[DarkIsEvil dark evil]],\\
[[GoodHurtsEvil For the dark things cannot stand the light,]]\\
The light of the Green Lantern!''”
* The 1959 {{Retool}} established the somewhat more impressive and much better-known oath, used by most of the Green Lantern Corps:
-->“''[[CueTheSun In brightest day,]] [[DarkestHour in blackest night,]]\\
[[DetectEvil No evil shall escape my sight!]]\\
[[{{Supervillain}} Let those who worship evil’s might,]]\\
[[HolyHandGrenade Beware my power]], [[LightIsGood Green Lantern’s light!]]''”
::This one has a number of known variants:
** [[http://greenlantern.wikia.com/wiki/Rot_Lop_Fan Rot Lop Fan]], whose species has no eyes and thus no concept of light or colour, chants an oath based around sounds and tones:
--->“''In loudest din or hush profound,\\
My ears catch evil’s slightest sound.\\
Let those who toll out evil’s knell,\\
Beware my power: the F-Sharp Bell!''”
** [[PlantAliens Medphyll]], a veteran Lantern and member of a species of sapient vegetation, has his own oath:
--->“''[[TheLostWoods In forest dark or glade beferned,]]\\
[[{{Determinator}} No blade of grass shall go unturned.]]\\
[[EvilIsNotWellLit Let those that have the daylight spurned,]]\\
[[LightIsGood Tread not where this green lamp has burned.]]''”
** Jack T. Chance, the Green Lantern in charge of Hellhole, a planet containing some of the worst criminals in the universe:
--->“''[[WretchedHive You who are wicked, evil, and mean —]]\\
[[BloodKnight I’m the nastiest creep you’ve]] '''[[BloodKnight ever]]''' [[BloodKnight seen.]]\\
[[BringIt Come one, come all, put up a fight,]]\\
[[BadassBoast I’ll pound your butts with Green Lantern’s light.]]\\
Yowza.''”
** Kho Kharni, member of a genocidal race turned good:
--->“''[[{{Turncoat}} Against dishonor and traitor’s flight,]]\\
[[ThickerThanWater I stand beside my clan to fight,]]\\
[[{{Determinator}} With dying breath I claw and bite,]]\\
[[LightIsGood Beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!]]''”
** Penelops, an aquatic Green Lantern whose species fears and is harmed by light:
--->“''In brightest light, in darkest sea,\\
All dangers will be seen by me!\\
While others from these dangers flee,\\
I shall always a Green Lantern be!''”
** Barin, a Green Lantern who hallucinated that he was at the gates of Hell:
--->“''In this place of black and grey and dark…\\
The Green shall be my light, my hope, my strength.\\
All that is good is all I defend.\\
I shall not falter.''”
** Flodo Span, a Lantern made of sentient gas:
--->“''Once there was but darkness, full and forever—\\
But then came the light of the Green Lantern—\\
And then myself—\\
To do it justice!''”
** Sodam Yat, a Daxamite ([[Franchise/{{Superman}} who are like Kryptonians, but with a weakness to lead instead of Kryptonite]]) combines the Green Lantern and Sinestro oaths as the last surviving Green Lantern (and from the sounds of it, the last surviving Lantern of ''any'' colour) in [[ComicBook/{{LegionOfSuper-Heroes}} the 30th century]]:
--->“''In brightest day through blackest night!\\
[[ThereCanBeOnlyOne No other Corps shall spread its light!]]\\
Let those who try to stop what’s right\\
Burn like my power— Green Lantern’s light!''”
** WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfO5S1Iu_VU (no, really)]]:
--->“''In blackest day or brightest night\\
[[InherentlyFunnyWords Watermelon, cantaloupe,]] yadda yadda\\
Erm… [[Franchise/{{Batman}} superstitious and cowardly lot]]\\
[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance With liberty and justice for all!]]''”
** Hal Jordan is the [[Franchise/CareBears Green Carebear]]
--->“''[[FunnyAnimal With itchy fur and curly hair,]]\\
[[PowerOfFriendship I make good friends most everywhere.]]\\
[[TastesLikeDiabetes I hug and smile; I skip and share]]\\
[[PowerOfLove Feel the love:]] [[CareBearStare My Care Bear Stare!]]''”
** Before the Corps was a thing, there was the ominous creed of the Manhunters:
--->“''Our enemies fear the face of steel\\
The will to this cold visage anneals\\
Ours is the face of justice revealed\\
[[SternChase No man escapes]] [[{{Determinator}} the Manhunters!]]''”
** When taken over by Atrocitus, this was changed to:
--->“No Guardian escapes the Manhunters!”
** The [[InternalAffairs Alpha Lanterns]], who police the rank and file members:
--->“''[[UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower In days of peace,]] [[ForeverWar in nights of war,]]\\
[[LawfulNeutral Obey the laws forevermore,]]\\
[[AllCrimesAreEqual Misconduct must be answered for,]]\\
[[TheChosenMany Swear us the chosen…]] [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner the Alpha Corps]]!''”
** And the Alpha Lanterns also have a motto that combines that of the Corps and the Manhunters:
--->“No Lantern escapes [[InternalAffairs the Alpha Lanterns]]!”
** Bruce Wayne, the [[CompositeCharacter Bat-Lantern]] of Earth 32, has an oath that references the Batman mythos.
--->“''With signal green come darkest night\\
That superstitious fearful might\\
Beware the creature of the night—\\
The weird avenger, blazing bright!''”
** Flashlight, the Green Lantern from the ComicBook/BigBangComics-based Earth 36, has this oath:
--->“''When all is dark and in despair,\\
The night’s made bright by Flashlight’s glare!\\
All evil things had best beware,\\
By seven lights this oath I swear!''”
** Magic Lantern, an alternate universe Green Lantern from Dreamworld and Earth 47, uses this oath:
--->“''When it’s groovy, when it’s grim,\\
We hum the Living Guru’s hymn.\\
[[CurseCutShort When other Lanterns lose their shi-]]\\
We keep the Magic Lantern lit!''”
** In ''VideoGame/InfiniteCrisis'', the Green Lantern from the Arcane universe of Earth 13 has a unique oath.
--->“''In forests deep where darkness dwells,\\
In dungeons dank beneath ancient fells,\\
Let those who seek to rule the night\\
Beware my power, the Emerald Light!''”
* The fear-powered Yellow Lantern/Sinestro Corps’ oath:
-->“''[[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad In blackest day, in brightest night,]]\\
[[LightIsNotGood Beware your fears made into light.]]\\
[[KnightTemplar Let those who try to stop what’s right]]\\
[[KillItWithFire Burn like his power —]] [[MagnificentBastard Sinestro’s might!]]''”
** Naturally enough, Sinestro himself ends with “Burn like ''my'' power…” Later on, when Arkillo takes command, he replaces the last part with “Arkillo’s might!”
* The oath of the ComicBook/RedLanterns, who use the red light of rage:
-->“''[[ThePowerOfBlood With blood]] [[TheBerserker and rage]] [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience of crimson red,]]\\
[[TakeUpMySword Ripped from a corpse so freshly dead,]]\\
[[ThePowerOfHate Together with our hellish hate,]]\\
[[UnstoppableRage We’ll burn you all,]] [[CycleOfRevenge that is]] [[RevengeBeforeReason your fate!]]''”
** ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries'' tweaks it:
--->“''[[ThePowerOfBlood With blood]] [[TheBerserker and rage]] [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience of crimson red,]]\\
[[ThePowerOfHate We fill men’s souls with darkest dread,]]\\
[[RevengeBeforeReason And twist your minds to pain and hate.]]\\
[[KillItWithFire We’ll burn you all, that is your fate!]]''”
** Aya later tries to modify it so Razer won’t feel bad about having to use the oath to recharge his ring. It doesn’t work, but it’s a good try.
--->“''[[ColourCodedForYourConvenience The power of the crimson red]]\\
[[TookALevelInKindness Can lead your soul away from dread,]]\\
[[InvertedTrope And heal the deepest wounds of hate,]]\\
[[ScrewDestiny Let no one else decide your fate.]]''”
** After removing Atrocitus as the leader of the Red Lanterns, Guy Gardner criticizes the oath and comes up with a different one.
--->“We’re red, '''you’re dead!'''”
* ThePowerOfLove [[TookALevelInBadass becomes somewhat more impressive]] with the Star Sapphire/Violet Lantern Corps:
-->“''[[BrokenBird For hearts long lost]] [[{{Angst}} and full of fright,]]\\
[[SolitaryTropes For those alone in blackest night,]]\\
[[YouAreNotAlone Accept our ring and join our fight —]]\\
[[ThePowerOfLove Love conquers all —]] [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience With violet light!]]''”
* The hope-powered Blue Lanterns:
-->“''[[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed In fearful day, in raging night,]]\\
[[HeroicResolve With strong hearts full our souls ignite!]]\\
[[DarkestHour When all seems lost in the War of Light,]]\\
[[HopeSpringsEternal Look to the stars — For hope burns bright!]]''”
* The Indigo Tribe’s is in {{Fictionary}} but it still sounds poetically badass[[note]]“Nok” is their CatchPhrase, meaning “Compassion be with you;” Natromo and Abin Sur founded the Tribe.[[/note]]:
-->“''[[TheUnintelligible Tor lorek san, bor nakka mur,]]\\
[[TheUnintelligible Natromo faan tornek wot ur.]]\\
[[TheUnintelligible Ter Lantern ker lo Abin Sur,]]\\
[[TheUnintelligible Taan lek lek nok— Formorrow sur!]]''”
* And with the ComicBook/BlackestNight, the undead Black Lanterns have a creed:
-->“''[[TheStarsAreGoingOut The Blackest Night falls from the skies.]]\\
[[DarkIsEvil The darkness grows, as all light dies.]]\\
[[TheHeartless We crave your hearts and your demise.]]\\
[[{{Necromancer}} By my Black Hand—]] [[ZombieApocalypse the dead shall rise!]]''”
* During ''Blackest Night'' Larfleeze (the Orange Lantern of Avarice) looks surprised when the other Lantern Corps are saying their oaths, as he hadn’t thought of using one. So he creates his own oath:
-->“''[[{{Greed}} What’s mine is mine]]\\
[[{{Greed}} And mine and mine!]]\\
[[OverlyLongGag And mine, and mine, and mine!]]\\
[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Not yours!]]''”
** He later came up with a better one:
--->“''[[ItMustBeMine This power is mine,]] [[{{Greed}} this is my light.]]\\
[[DefiantToTheEnd Be it bright of day, or black of night.]]\\
[[EntitledBastard I lay claim to all that lays within my sight,]]\\
[[ItsAllAboutMe To take what I want, that is my right!]]''”
* The oath of the White Lanterns, who use the white light of life:
-->“''[[LightIsGood In Brightest Day, and Blackest Night.]]\\
[[GoodHurtsEvil All darkness will dread my might.]]\\
[[LifeEnergy Virtuous energy of life ignite.]]\\
[[LightIsGood Shine forth my power White Lantern’s light.]]''”
** Or alternatively:
-->“''[[CueTheSun In Brightest Day there will be light.]]\\
[[MyGreatestSecondChance To cleanse the soul and set wrongs right.]]\\
[[EarnYourHappyEnding When darkness falls look to the skies.]]\\
[[CueTheSun A new dawn comes let there be light!]]''”
* And now there’s the Ultraviolet Corps, whose rings tap into suppressed emotions such as shame:
-->“''[[LightIsNotGood By shield of day]] [[DarkIsEvil and shield of night,]]\\
[[WeAreEverywhere We feed and grow, beyond all sight,]]\\
[[EnemyWithin Your darkest self shall be our knight,]]\\
[[VisibleInvisibility Wield the sword of unseen light!]]''”
* In ''ComicBook/DarkNightsMetal'', an evil alternate Bruce Wayne who became a Green Lantern and calls himself Dawnbreaker has this.
-->''[[CastingAShadow With darkness black, I choke the light!]]\\
[[TheCorruption No brightest day escapes my sight!]]\\
[[LightsOffSomebodyDies I turn the dawn to midnight!]]\\
[[LightIsNotGood Beware my power— Dawnbreaker’s Might!]]''
* The Phantom Ring allows its wearer to use all seven lights of the Emotional Spectrum, and can be used by whoever puts it on.
-->“''[[DespairEventHorizon In desperate day, in hopeless night,]]\\
[[HopeSpot The Phantom Ring is our last light.]]\\
[[IJustWantToBeSpecial We yearn for power, strength, and might,]]\\
[[ItsAllAboutMe I seize the ring, that is my right!]]''”
* ''ComicBook/TheGreenLantern'' introduces Zundernell, the Golden Lantern who guards the Cosmic Grail on the destroyed Earth 15.
-->“''I serve the fallen, broken light\\
That glows yet dimmer with the night.\\
The flame burns low that’s bright in Hell…\\
Beware my fate— lost Zundernell!''”
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Other DC]]
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** “Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul, I swear — until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice becomes the reality we all share — I’ll never stop fighting. Ever.”
** [[ComicBook/KingdomCome “There is a right and a wrong in this universe. And that distinction is not hard to make.”]]
** The iconic “I fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way.”
** The Pledge of a Superman, from ''World’s Finest Comics'' #213:
--->“''I will use this power for all the good that can be done…\\
To work for peace…\\
To encourage virtue…\\
And above all, to preserve life, in all its forms…\\
Or failing in that, to give up this power… forever!''”
* ComicBook/KryptoTheSuperdog was part of the Space Canine Patrol Agency, whose slogan is as follows: “[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius Big Dog! Big Dog!]] Bow wow wow! We’ll crush evil… Now, now, now!” “Big dog, big dog, bow wow wow” is a ShoutOut to the Yale chorus (“Bulldog, bulldog, bow wow wow…”).
* ''ComicBook/TheButton'' reveals one for [[Franchise/{{Batman}} the Wayne family]], delivered by Thomas Wayne:
-->'''Thomas:''' Sometimes we fall, son. But always remember, Waynes never stay down. '''We rise.'''
* “ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} is.” Understated, but given [[GodIsEvil everything that it implies]], it’s pretty effective. Introduced in the JLA book ''Rock of Ages''.
-->'''Announcer''': On your knees for the Master!\\
The hour has come! HE has come!\\
Who is beyond good and evil?\\
Who is the prophet of Anti-Life?\\
Who is the Rock and the Chain and the Lightning?\\
All powerful! All unforgiving! All conquering!\\
WHO IS YOUR NEW GOD NOW AND FOREVER?\\
'''Darkseid''': Darkseid is.
** Darkseid tries something similar in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse. Dan Turpin kinda takes the wind out of his BadassBoast.
--->'''Turpin''': [[spoiler:In a pig’s eye!]]
* In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', Darkseid gets a new BadassCreed. He only uses it once, but it qualifies because he says it using the possessed bodies of ''billions of people''.
-->'''Darkseid:''' I. Am. The. New. God.\\
All is one in Darkseid. This mighty body is my church.\\
When I command your surrender, I speak with three billion voices.\\
When I make a fist to crush your resistance. It is with three billion hands.\\
When I stare into your eyes and shatter your dreams. And break your heart. It is with six billion eyes!\\
Nothing like Darkseid has ever come among you: Nothing will again.\\
I will take you to a hell without exit or end. And there I will murder your souls!\\
And make you crawl and beg! And die! Die! Die for Darkseid!
* Darkseid’s Suicide Jockeys as seen in ''ComicBook/{{Orion}}'' have:
-->Death is life’s objective!\\
Death is life done right!\\
So lock an’ load!\\
Let’s hit the road!\\
The Jockeys ride tonight!
* ComicBook/TheFlash: ''“My name is [[LegacyCharacter Jay Garrick/Barry Allen/Wally West/Bart Allen]]. Who am I? I’m the Flash, the Fastest Man Alive.”''
** Barry declares what it means to be the Flash as he runs himself to death saving the entire multiverse in ''JLA Incarnations'' #5:
--->“Light calling to me… drawing me forward… what is it? I hear it in my heart.\\
The essence of what I am. The source and the end. Speed itself.\\
It reminds me. What I stand for. What the League stands for.\\
My life doesn’t matter. I can save them. If I just let go…\\
And then I am in it and I am a part of it and I am everywhere.\\
I am the lightning and I am reaching out.\\
And there are no accidents!”
* The Golden Age Sandman, as revived in the 1990s ''ComicBook/SandmanMysteryTheatre'' series: “None can escape the Sandman’s dark dream.”
** He also used to leave a poem on his defeated opponents: “There is no land beyond the law / Where tyrants rule with unshakable power! / ‘Tis but a dream from which the evil wake / To face their fate, their terrifying hour!”
* The third ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'', Jaime Reyes, has a short one when he goes off to [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge show what happens when you mess with his planet]]: “[[GratuitousSpanish Escarabajo vamonos!]]” [[note]]Let’s go, Beetle![[/note]]
* Creator/JephLoeb’s version of Franchise/{{Batman}} has: “I made a [[HeroicVow promise]] on the graves of my parents to rid this city of the evil that took their lives.”
* Creator/FrankMiller creates one for ComicBook/TheQuestion, in ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. The Question describes the problems facing the world, [[ConspiracyTheorist the threat of the conspiracy at the heart of it,]] and his intention to “document every foul lie,” so that the truth will one day be exposed and mankind will be saved… ending with this little gem:
-->''It is not in my power to effect the change. I haven’t the might. I am not the answer.\\
I am only the Question.''
* Franchise/WonderWoman, during Creator/GailSimone’s [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2006 run]]:
-->“Keep faith. Trust to love. Fight with honor. But fight to win.”
* In ''ComicBook/WonderWomanWarbringer'' the Amazons have an oath about protecting the world from evil they have to make to become Amazons, just like in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks. Also just like in the Golden Age this oath is only alluded to and described rather than given to the reader; however the oath of loyalty Amazons make to their Amazon sisters is given:
-->''Sister in battle, I am shield and blade to you. As I breath, your enemies will know no sanctuary. While I live, your cause is mine.''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Marvel]]
* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}’s “I’m the best there is at what I do — but what I do best isn’t very nice.” The second part is frequently dropped.
* ComicBook/SpiderMan has the rather thoughtful “With great power there must also come — [[ComesGreatResponsibility great responsibility]].”
* In ''Doctor Strange: The Oath'', ComicBook/DoctorStrange manages to make the Hippocratic Oath badass:
-->“I have sworn many oaths in my day, to every being from Hoggoth to Watoomb. But the first oath I swore was the Hippocratic. ‘I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients, according to my judgement and ability, and I will do so at any cost.’”
* “I am the [[ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]]. I stand before the unstoppable hordes… and I hold them back. That’s what I do. What I’ve always done. I am the Iron Fist. I hold back the storm… when nothing else can.”
* In ComicBook/CivilWar, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica gives us:
-->“Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right.\\
This nation was founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — ‘No, YOU move.’”
[[/folder]]

* “{{ComicBook/Darkseid}} is.” Understated, but given [[GodIsEvil everything that it implies]], it’s pretty effective. Introduced in the JLA book ''Rock of Ages''.

* In ComicBook/CivilWar, Comicbook/CaptainAmerica gives us:

* “We are the TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles. We strike hard, and fade away… into the night.”

* In the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series, but most commonly [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog the Archie comics]], there’s always a Badass Creed used to summon upon the power of one of the emeralds, usually the Master Emerald, for a specific request, usually along the lines of “The servers are the seven chaos emeralds, chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the chaos.” followed by the request. The badass-ness of this is shown in its full height at the end of the Enerjak arc, as Knuckles and Doctor Finitevus both channel the energy of the Master Emerald and prepare to strike the other down with one energy charged punch, in a way that seems to invoke the feeling of a battle between Hal Jordan and Sinestro.

Watermelon, cantaloupe, yadda yadda\\

-->And I will shed [[LightIsGood my light]] over [[DarkIsEvil dark evil]],\\

The light of the Green Lantern!
* The 1959 {{retool}} established the somewhat more impressive and much better-known oath, used by most of the Green Lantern Corps:
-->"''[[CueTheSun In brightest day]], [[DarkestHour in blackest night]]\\
[[DetectEvil No evil shall escape my sight]]\\
[[SuperVillain Let those who worship evil's might]]\\
[[HolyHandGrenade Beware my power]]--[[LightIsGood Green Lantern's light!]]''"

--->"In loudest din or hush profound
--->My ears catch evil's slightest sound.
--->Let those who toll out evil's knell
--->Beware my power-- the F-Sharp Bell!"
** [[PlantAliens Medphyll:]]
--->"[[TheLostWoods In forest dark or glade beferned,]]\\

[[EvilIsNotWellLit Let those that have the daylight spurned]],\\
[[LightIsGood tread not where this green lamp has burned.]]"
** Jack T. Chance:
--->[[WretchedHive You who are wicked, evil, and mean]] -
--->[[BloodKnight I'm the nastiest creep you've]] ''[[BloodKnight ever]]'' [[BloodKnight seen]]!
--->[[BringIt Come one, come all; put up a fight]];
--->[[BadassBoast I'll pound your butts with Green Lantern's light.]]
--->Yowza.
** Kho, member of a genocidal race turned good and too badass for a last name:
--->"[[{{Turncoat}} Against dishonor and traitor's flight]]\\
[[ThickerThanWater I stand beside my clan to fight]].\\
[[{{Determinator}} With dying breath I claw and bite]]\\
[[LightIsGood Beware my power-- Green Lantern's Light!]]"
** Sodam Yat, a Daxamite ([[ComicBook/{{Superman}} who are like Kryptonians, but with a weakness to lead instead of Kryptonite]]) combines the Green Lantern and Sinestro oaths as the last surviving Green Lantern (and from the sounds of it, the last surviving Lantern of ''any'' colour) in [[ComicBook/{{LegionOfSuper-Heroes}} the 30th century]]:
--->In brightest day, through blackest night!
--->[[ThereCanBeOnlyOne No other Corps shall spread its light!]]
--->Let those who try to stop what's right,
--->Burn like my power-- Green Lantern's light!

--->In blackest day or brightest night
--->Watermelon, cantaloupe, yadda yadda
--->Erm... [[Franchise/{{Batman}} superstitious and cowardly lot]]
--->[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance With liberty and justice for all!]]

--->[[FunnyAnimal With itchy fur and curly hair,]]
--->[[PowerOfFriendship I make good friends most everywhere.]]
--->[[TastesLikeDiabetes I hug and smile; I skip and share]]
--->[[PowerOfLove Feel the love:]]
--->[[CareBearStare My Care Bear Stare!]]

---> Our enemies fear the face of steel
---> The will to this cold visage anneals
---> Ours is the face of justice revealed
---> [[SternChase No man escapes]] [[{{Determinator}} the Manhunters]]!

---> No guardian escapes the Manhunters!
** The [[{{Internal Affairs}} Alpha Lanterns]], who police the rank and file members:
--->"''[[UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower In days of peace]], [[ForeverWar in nights of war]],\\
[[LawfulNeutral Obey the laws forever more]],\\
[[AllCrimesAreEqual Misconduct must be answered for]],\\
[[TheChosenMany Swear us the Chosen]] - [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner the Alpha Corps]]!''"

--->"No Lantern escapes [[InternalAffairs The Alpha Lanterns]]!"
* The Yellow Lantern/Sinestro Corps Oath:
-->"''[[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad In blackest day, in brightest night,]]\\
[[LightIsNotGood Beware your fears made into light]]\\
[[KnightTemplar Let those who try to stop what's right]]\\
[[KillItWithFire Burn like his power]] -- [[MagnificentBastard Sinestro's might!]]''"
** Naturally enough, Sinestro himself ends with "Burn like ''my'' power..." Later on, when Arkillo takes command, he replaces the last part with "Arkillo's might!"
* The Red Lanterns' oath:
-->"''[[ThePowerOfBlood With blood and]] [[TheBerserker rage of]] [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience crimson red]]\\
[[TakeUpMySword Ripped from a corpse so freshly dead]]\\
[[ThePowerOfHate Together with our hellish hate]]\\
[[UnstoppableRage We'll burn you all]]--[[CycleOfRevenge that is]] [[RevengeBeforeReason your fate!]]''"

--->''[[ThePowerOfBlood With blood]] [[TheBerserker and rage]] [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience of crimson red]],\\
[[ThePowerOfHate We fill men's souls with darkest dread]],\\
[[RevengeBeforeReason And twist your minds to pain and hate]].\\
[[KillItWithFire We'll burn you all--that is your fate!]]''
** Aya later tries to modify it so Razer won't feel bad about having to use the oath to recharge his ring. It doesn't work, but it's a good try.
--->''[[ColourCodedForYourConvenience The power of the crimson red]],\\
[[TookALevelInKindness Can lead your soul away from dread]],\\
[[InvertedTrope And heal the deepest wounds of hate]],\\
[[ScrewDestiny Let no one else decide your fate]].''
* The Power of Love [[TookALevelInBadass becomes somewhat more impressive]] with the Star Sapphire/Violet Lantern Corps:
-->"''[[BrokenBird For hearts long lost and]] [[{{Angst}} full of fright,]]\\
[[SolitaryTropes For those alone in blackest night]],\\
[[YouAreNotAlone Accept our ring and join our fight,]]\\
[[PowerOfLove Love Conquers All]]-- [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience with violet light]]!''"
* The Blue Lanterns:
-->"''[[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed In fearful day, in raging night,]]\\
[[HeroicResolve With strong hearts full our souls ignite,]]\\
[[DarkestHour When all seems lost in the War of Light]],\\
[[HopeSpringsEternal Look to the stars—for hope burns bright!]]''"
* The Indigo Tribe's is in {{Fictionary}} but it still sounds poetically badass:
-->"''[[TheUnintelligible Tor lorek san bor nakka mur.]]''
-->''[[TheUnintelligible Natromo faan tornek wot ur.]]''
-->''[[TheUnintelligible Ter Lantern ker lo Abin Sur]]''
-->''[[TheUnintelligible Taan lek lek nok-- formorrow Sur!]]''"
* And with the ComicBook/BlackestNight, we now have a creed for the Black Lanterns:
-->"''[[TheStarsAreGoingOut The blackest night falls from the skies,]]\\
[[DarkIsEvil The darkness grows, as all light dies]],\\
[[TheHeartless We crave your hearts and your demise,]]\\
[[{{Necromancer}} By my black hand]]-- [[ZombieApocalypse the dead shall rise]]!"''
* During ''Blackest Night'' Larfleeze (the Orange Lantern) looks surprised when the other Lantern Corps are saying their oaths, as he hadn't thought of using one. So he creates his own oath:
-->"''[[{{Greed}} What's]] [[{{Greed}} mine is mine]]\\
[[{{Greed}} and mine and mine,]]\\

[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Not yours!]]''"
** He later came up with a better one
--->"''[[ItMustBeMine This power is mine,]] [[{{Greed}} this is my light.]]\\

[[ItsAllAboutMe to take what I want, that is my right!]]''"
* And Finally there's the white Lantern oath.
-->''[[LightIsGood In Brightest Day, and Blackest Night.]]\\

[[LightIsGood Shine forth my power White Lanterns Light.]]''
** Or alternatively
-->''[[CueTheSun In Brightest Day there will be Light.]]\\

[[EarnYourHappyEnding When Darkness falls look to the skies.]]\\
[[CueTheSun A New Dawn comes let there be light!]]''
* And now there's the the Ultraviolet Lanterns, whose rings tap into suppressed emotions:
-->''[[LightIsNotGood By shield of day]] and [[DarkIsEvil shield of night]],\\
[[WeAreEverywhere We feed and grow, beyond all sight]],\\
[[EnemyWithin Your darkest self shall be our knight]],\\
[[VisibleInvisibility Wield the sword of unseen light!]]''

-->''With darkness black, I choke the light!\\
No brightest day escapes my sight!\\
I turn the dawn into midnight!\\
Beware my power... Dawnbreaker's Might!''

** "Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul, I swear -- until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice becomes the reality we all share -- I'll never stop fighting. Ever."
** [[ComicBook/KingdomCome "There is a right and a wrong in this universe. And that distinction is not hard to make."]]
** The iconic "I fight for Truth, Justice and The American Way."
** The Pledge of a Superman, from ''World's Finest Comics'' #213:
--->''I will use this power for all the good that can be done...''\\
''To work for peace...''\\
''To encourage virtue...''\\
''And above all, to preserve life, in all its forms...''\\
''Or failing in that, to give up this power...forever!''
* ComicBook/KryptoTheSuperdog was part of the Space Canine Patrol Agency, whose slogan is as follows: "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius Big Dog! Big Dog!]] Bow wow wow! We'll crush evil... Now, now, now!" If "big dog, big dog, bow wow wow" sounds anticlimactic, it's because it's a ShoutOut to the Yale chorus ("Bulldog, bulldog, bow wow wow...")

* "{{ComicBook/Darkseid}} is." Understated, but given [[GodIsEvil everything that it implies]], it's pretty effective. Introduced in the JLA book ''Rock of Ages''.
--> '''Announcer''' On your knees for the Master!
-->The hour has come! HE has come!
-->Who is beyond good and evil?
-->Who is the prophet of Anti-Life?
-->Who is the Rock and the Chain and the Lightning?
-->All powerful! All unforgiving! All conquering!
-->WHO IS YOUR NEW GOD NOW AND FOREVER?
-->'''Darkseid''': Darkseid is.
** Darkseid tried something similar in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse. Dan Turpin kinda took the wind out of his BadassBoast.
---> '''Turpin''': [[spoiler:In a pig's eye!]]

--> '''Darkseid:''' I. Am. The. New. God.
--> All is one in Darkseid. This mighty body is my church.
--> When I command your surrender, I speak with three billion voices.
--> When I make a fist to crush your resistance. It is with three billion hands.
--> When I stare into your eyes and shatter your dreams. And break your heart. It is with six billion eyes!
--> Nothing like Darkseid has ever come among you: Nothing will again.
--> I will take you to a hell without exit or end. And there I will murder your souls!
--> And make you crawl and beg! And die! Die! Die for Darkseid!
* Darkseid's Suicide Jockeys as seen in ''ComicBook/{{Orion}}'' have:
-->Death is life's objective!\\

So lock an' load!\\
Lets hit the road!\\

* ComicBook/TheFlash: ''"My name is [[LegacyCharacter Jay Garrick/Barry Allen/Wally West/Bart Allen]]. Who am I? I'm the Flash, the Fastest Man Alive."''
** Barry declares what it means to be The Flash as he runs himself to death saving the entire multiverse in JLA Incarnations #5:
--->"Light calling to me...drawing me forward...what is it? I hear it in my heart.
--->The essence of what I am. The source and the end. Speed itself.
--->It reminds me. What I stand for. What the League stands for.
--->My life doesn’t matter. I can save them. If I just let go...
--->and then I am in it and I am a part of it and I am everywhere.
--->I am the lightning and I am reaching out.
--->And there are no accidents!''
* The Golden Age Sandman, as revived in the 1990's ''ComicBook/SandmanMysteryTheatre'' series: "None can escape the Sandman's dark dream."
** He also used to leave a poem on his defeated opponents: "There is no land beyond the law / Where tyrants rule with unshakable power! / 'Tis but a dream from which the evil wake / To face their fate, their terrifying hour!"
* The third ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'', Jaime Reyes, has a short one when he goes off to [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge show what happens when you mess with his planet]]: "[[GratuitousSpanish Escarabajo vamonos!]]" [[note]]Let's go, Beetle![[/note]]
* Creator/JephLoeb's version of Franchise/{{Batman}} has: "I made a [[HeroicVow promise]] on the graves of my parents to rid this city of the evil that took their lives."
* Creator/FrankMiller creates one for ComicBook/TheQuestion, in ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. The Question describes the problems facing the world, [[ConspiracyTheorist the threat of the conspiracy at the heart of it,]] and his intention to "document every foul lie", so that the truth will one day be exposed and mankind will be saved...ending with this little gem:
--> ''It is not in my power to effect the change. I haven't the might. I am not the answer.''
--> ''I am only The Question.''
* Franchise/WonderWoman, during Creator/GailSimone's [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2006 run]]:
--> "Keep faith. Trust to love. Fight with honor. But fight to win."
* In ''ComicBook/WonderWomanWarbringer'' the Amazons have an oath about protecting the world from evil they have to make to become Amazons, just like in the Golden Age of Comics. Also just like in the Golden Age this oath is only alluded to and described rather than given to the reader; however the oath of loyalty Amazons make to their Amazon sisters is given:

* {{Wolverine}}'s "I'm the best there is at what I do -- but what I do best isn't very nice." The second part is frequently dropped.
* Comicbook/SpiderMan has the rather thoughtful "With great power {{comes great responsibility}}."
* In "The Oath", Comicbook/DoctorStrange manages to make the Hippocratic Oath badass:
-->"I have sworn many oaths in my day, to every being from Hoggoth to Watoomb. But the first oath I swore was the Hippocratic. 'I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients, according to my judgement and ability, and I will do so at any cost.' "
* "I am the [[ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]]. I stand before the unstoppable hordes...and I hold them back. That's what I do. What I've always done. I am the Iron Fist. I hold back the storm...When nothing else can."
* In ComicBook/{{Civil War}}, Comicbook/CaptainAmerica gives us:
-->"Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right.
-->This nation was founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world -- "No, YOU move.”"

* ''ComicBook/{{Elfquest}}'' has the Wolfrider Creed: "Let Danger come! Let Foes invade! Let Thunder and Skyfire roar! We are Wolfriders!"
* ComicBook/JudgeDredd, "[[{{I Am The Noun}} I am the Law!]]"
* "We are the TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles. We strike hard, and fade away... into the night."
* Matt Wagner's "ComicBook/{{Grendel}}s" have this Oath of Obedience (taking at least one riff from one of the other {{Badass Creed}}s on this page):
-->"With Orion's sword the hunter arose and conquered the world with fury and grace
-->In him was I born, in him shall I die, in him shall I lose name, station and face
-->Death over weakness, death over despair, death over personal gain
-->Death over dishonor, death over undeath, death over the fire with no flame
-->All this I pledge thee O Grendel, Great Khan, to serve and protect over death's endless tide
-->With your word in my heart, your eyes in my face and your tooth in my hand, by my side"
-->''Vivat Grendel!''

--> '''Wreck and Rule!'''.
--> ''Lost cause? Of course it's a lost cause! That's why ''we're here!''.''
* ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'': "A Ninja's duty in life is death!"

-->'''John Custer''': ''Don't take no shit off fools. Judge a person by what's in 'em, not how they look. An' you do the '''right thing'''. Be one of the good guys. 'Cause there's way too many of the bad.''

* Archie Adventure Hero "The Fly" featured this promise: I, The Fly, do solemnly swear that nothing shall keep me from fulfilling my sacred vow...to erase crime from the face of the earth!
* In the ''VideoGames/SonicTheHedgehog'' series, but most commonly [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog the Archie comics]], theres always a badass creed used to summon upon the power of one of the emeralds, usually the Master Emerald, for a specific request, usually along the lines of "The servers are the seven chaos emerald, chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the chaos." followed by the request. The badass-ness of this is shown in its full height at the end of the Enerjak arc, as Knuckles and Doctor Finitevus both channel the energy of the Master Emerald and prepare to strike the other down with one energy charged punch, in a way that seems to invoke the feeling of a battle between Hal Jordan and Sinestro.
-->'''Knuckles:''' The servers are the seven chaos...\\
'''Finitevus:''' The servants are the seven chaos...\\
'''Knuckles:''' Chaos is power, enriched by the heart...\\
'''Finitevus:''' Chaos is power, controlled by my will...\\

-->With darkness black, I choke the light!\\

Beware my power... Dawnbreaker's Might!

--->''[[CueTheSun In Brightest Day there will be Light.]]\\