History Main / ApologeticAttacker

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' story ''Fanfic/UnmaskerUnleased''

** Much like the example from ''The Matrix Reloaded'' below, Phoebus does one of these to Esmeralda.

** This is because, while the Arquilians are generally friendly, they're not willing to risk letting one of [[InsectoidAliens the Bugs]] steal [[MacGuffin the Galaxy]] and take it back to his planet.

** In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'' episode 36, Edward says sorry to Kain Fuery after punching him out.

--> '''Toguro:''' "Not even the best of contracts justifies killing as cruelly as I have just done. I apologize to this creature."

“No!”\\
“Sorry,” she said, and pitched him towards M’nagaleh.

[[folder:Film — Animated]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog22022'', to save Sonic from a dangerous situation, Thomas Wachowski needs a ring that can be used for teleportation. Unfortunately, he is at a wedding when it happens, and finds out the ring got confused with the wedding ring. Because he has no time to explain this, he apologizes in advance and punches the bridegroom to get him to drop the ring.

* In ''Literature/TheReader2016'', Sefia does this after she kills the mercenary Palo Kanta, as she had never taken a life before.

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS11E2InvasionOfTheDinosaurs "Invasion of the Dinosaurs"]]: Sergeant Benton attacks his superior (who's on the wrong side):

** The Doctor would many times apologize on the rare occasions when he punched someone, such as the Fifth Doctor in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E1WarriorsOfTheDeep "Warriors of the Deep"]].

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E6TheAgeOfSteel "The Age of Steel"]]: After shutting down the Cybermen's emotional inhibitors ''en masse'', the Doctor sadly says "I'm sorry" to a Cyberman who's reacting in horror to its reflection.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E3Gridlock "Gridlock"]]: Milo and Cheen, the couple who kidnap Martha, apologize to both her and the Doctor as they drag her away.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords "Last of the Time Lords"]]: One of the Tenth Doctor's biggest [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome moments]] involved playing this straight ''and'' inverting it when he OutGambitted TheMaster and temporarily made himself ''canonically'' a GodModeSue via the amplified thoughts of the human race.

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E4TheTimeOfAngels "The Time of Angels"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E5FleshAndStone "Flesh and Stone"]]:

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E12ThePandoricaOpens "The Pandorica Opens"]]: [[spoiler:Auton!Rory apologizes desperately to Amy as he's forced to kill her]].

[[folder:Recorded Comedy]]
* On ''[[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus Monty Python's Matching Tie & Handkerchief]]'', the Cheese Shop sketch differs from the TV edition in that it ends thus:
-->'''Mousebender:''' Have you got any cheese here at all?\\
'''Wensleydale:''' Yes sir.\\
'''Mousebender:''' Really?\\
'''Wensleydale:''' No sir, not really, sir.\\
'''Mousebender:''' You haven't.\\
'''Wensleydale:''' No sir, not a scrap. I was deliberately wasting your time, sir.\\
'''Mousebender:''' Well, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to shoot you.\\
'''Wensleydale:''' Righto, sir. (''Gunfire; we hear Wensleydale collapse to the floor'')\\
'''Mousebender:''' What a senseless waste of human life.
[[/folder]]

* The 'Fallen' Grace versus Damien battle in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' definitely qualifies. Damien threatens to kill all her friends, she goes CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass on him, rips him to shreds, then reverts to her ordinary personality and apologizes for beating him up, before asking him to surrender. Of course, he DOESN'T, but that's [[TakingYouWithMe another trope]]...

--> '''Cale:''' "I'm sorry... I'm sorry."

* The circumstances of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'''s White trailer haven't been revealed, but Weiss' [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/weisswhitetrailer_4448.png expression]] while fighting the Knight- and her initial reluctance to go on the offensive- strongly implies that she didn't want to do it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002'', a curse cast by King Hsss turns all of the heroes except He-Man and Roboto into Snake-Men, rendering them BrainwashedAndCrazy. (Roboto, being a robot, is immune, and Hsss apparently wanted He-Man to suffer more.) When a fight breaks out, Roboto slugs Mekaneck, saying, "My apologies, Mekaneck."
* ''WesternAnimation/Invincible2021'': When [[spoiler: The Mauler Twins escape prison,]] they apologize to [[spoiler: Pete]] for having to attack him to do so, given he's been nice to them. They also spare his life.

* In the French cartoon ''Once Upon a Time... Space'', the [[RobotWar Humanoids]] beg the [[AlwaysChaoticEvil Cassiopeians]] to surrender during most of their battle, as they don't wish to [[CurbStompBattle obliterate them]].

-->'''Don:''' We don't have time for this! Please accept my apology!
-->'''Worker:''' For what?
-->'''Don:''' For this. (Cue the use of his staff)
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'' episode "Pizza Face" Mikey does this when he fights against his pizza-zombified brothers except Raph
-->'''Michelangelo:''' (to Donatello) Ooops...Sorry D
-->'''Michelangelo:'''(to Leonardo) Oh man! Sorry, Leo!
-->'''Michelangelo:'''(to Raphael) Not sorry Raph!

* ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'': It turns out that this is the real way to use the eponymous Sword of Truth. Holding onto pure anger will get some mileage out of it, but holding onto pure ''forgiveness'' will cut through magical defenses. Naturally, true forgiveness is pretty hard to ''not'' express to some extent. YMMV on this one, as the first example overlaps with StockholmSyndrome. It makes sense in context.

* [[MysteriousInformant Orwell]] in ''Series/TheCape'' does this in one of her few action-ish moments (she prefers to [[HollywoodHacking work]] behind the [[MissionControl scenes]]): "Sorry! Sorry." as she tazes a guy in the neck.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}'' has a Mook that turns around and ''{{fart|illery}}s'' at Bug's face! While apologizing with a rather crude "Sorry" or "Sorry, just ate".

* In ''VideoGame/SplinterCellBlacklist'', Briggs softly apologizes right before {{Mercy Kill}}ing [[spoiler:the Secretary of Defense]].

* A variant appears in ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: DoubleAgent'' where you're ordered to kill the innocent helicopter pilot to [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten prove your loyalty]] to the terrorists. If you refuse or take too long, [[PsychoSupporter Jamie]] panics and does it... and then apologizes to you and the terrorists for it.

** Players receive a personal apology from the [[SatanicArchetype mysterious CEO]] of Faust Capital right before his boss battle; as much as he likes his newest guests, he's [[MagicallyBindingContract bound by contract]] to obey [[FallenAngel Samael]]'s orders without question, and his master wants the players stopped at all costs. [[spoiler: For good measure, said CEO is none other than Mephistopheles himself.]]

* In ''VideoGame/SplinterCellBlacklist'', Briggs softly apologizes right before MercyKilling [[spoiler:the Secretary of Defense]].

* In ''Abe's Exodus'', the second ''VideoGame/OddWorld'' game, the only way to calm down a Mudokan that had been exposed to laughing gas was to give them a good hard slap. Slap them again and they get "angry" and have to be apologized to or they will refuse to listen to any instructions and even slap you (or any other nearby Mudokan) back. If you slap a "sad" Mudokan, you had better apologize fast, or they will let out a pitiful little "no..." and start beating themselves to death with their own hands.

-->'''Hero''': The Great Godfather of Soul's conned me into doing his dirty work! That weasel!\\
'''Lord Ovthedance''': Me glad you realize that. Would have been better if you realize it before you beat Lord Ovthedance down.\\
'''Hero''': Yeah, sorry about that. We've got to get you down to that Dance-off so you can beat that liar for both of us!\\
'''Lord Ovthedance''': Am you kidding? Me am not in the best shape, thanks to some random hero who decided to...\\
'''Hero''': ...I said "I'm sorry".

---> "He's an intruder… and- and they make us kill intruders."

* Even though [[IllKillYou she threatens to kill Noel if she doesn't return to her post]] at first in ''VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift'', Tsubaki surprisingly ends up holding back and even begs for forgiveness whether she wins or loses. She also [[EasilyForgiven forgives her]] for the trouble she got her into since Noel is her friend and therefore she knows that she didn't want to fight against her.

--->'''Litchi''': I-I'm so sorry! You came out of nowhere, so I thought you were a pervert and smacked you! Are you alright? (He's completely out... but he looks really happy. Odd...)

** [[spoiler:By Chronophantasma, she does this even more often. Justified that as much as she's sticking with NOL, she's not very pleased with the prospect of beating those she deemed decent and friends with, but is ForcedIntoEvil. In fact, she's mostly borderline crying in win quotes to some close friends, like Bang.]]

--> '''Dwarf''': Sorry, little one, but it's your fault that you're full of goodies!
* In the ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' series, some of the healer classes shout "Forgive me!" as a battle cry when you have them attack physically. At first glance, demonic healers appearing to feel guilty at attacking enemies is kind of... odd, until ''Disgaea DS'' pointed out they are actually fallen angels from Celestia, making them not so different from Flonne ("Whoops, pardon me!"). Old habits die hard, it seems.

--> '''Zavier:''' I'm sorry... but [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans the ends justify the means.]] This is all to stop the same mistakes from occuring. [[RetGone Chronos, erase him.]]
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'' (AKA Dragon Warrior VII in the States) has a great beginning world that partakes to this. The first dungeon has THREE bosses. A miniboss to enter, a second-in-command, and a world-sector boss. There is no break to heal or save in between the last two. Why does this fit? The World-sector boss is [[spoiler:Matilda]] who only asks you to kill them and free the world-sector. They only defend and the battle just turns into a tearjerker with bonus exp.

* In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', the [=RoboBrain=] enemy sometimes acts like this.

** Serah in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' tends to apologize to the monsters she just killed. Her partner... not so much.
---> '''Noel:''' I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not!
** After utterly destroying his opponent with Omnislash ver. 5, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Cloud Strife]] in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' cares enough to apologize with a dry "No hard feelings."

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', several characters apologize to their foes when they activate their {{critical hit}}s or skills. Among them is the mercenary Laslow [[spoiler: who is actually Inigo, Olivia's son, who is now travelling through this world for very complicated reasons]].
*** A few other examples include Sakura and Subaki, who can say they're sorry during critical hits and skills; and Corrin, Kana, Ryoma, and Hisame, who can all apologize after defeating an opponent.

* Dizzy from ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' has two wings that do most of the attacking for her, and she apologizes for them (and tells them to stop) during battle.

* In the prologue before the game starts, an alien invasion kills VideoGame/{{Iji}}'s father and little sister [[spoiler:and almost the whole human population]], but even after she is transformed into a {{nanomachine|s}}-powered cyborg, she has no desire to kill her attackers and says a grief-stricken "I'm sorry..." when killing an enemy. This gets reversed if you shoot everything you see, however, which makes her yell "Why don't you just DIE!" or similar when shooting them.

* In ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' Lillia, the Bashful Bloom is a nature spirit in the shape of a [[OurCentaursAreDifferent fawn-centaur]] who is [[ShrinkingViolet shy to the point of neurosis]]. She has to psyche herself up to make herself fight and is prone to apologising to opponents for hitting them with her [[CarryABigStick censer-flail]], sometimes even when she's just talking to herself!

* Shannon in ''VideoGame/UminekoGoldenFantasia'' is literally an example, as one of her moves is an apologetic bow.

-->'''Freudia''': "I'm sorry, Tia..."
-->'''Liebea''': "Forgive me, Miss Tia..."
* Shizumaru Hisame from ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' bows and apologizes to his fallen rival in one of his winning animations. If he performs his Zetsumei Ougi and kills his opponent, [[TearsOfRemorse he actually breaks down crying]].\\
\\
Similarly, Mina Majikina throws her weapons to the ground and turns away in remorse after her own Zetsumei Ougi.

* In ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', players receive a personal apology from the [[SatanicArchetype mysterious CEO]] of Faust Capital right before his boss battle; as much as he likes his newest guests, he's [[MagicallyBindingContract bound by contract]] to obey [[FallenAngel Samael]]'s orders without question, and his master wants the players stopped at all costs. [[spoiler: For good measure, said CEO is none other than Mephistopheles himself.]]
** During one of the Halloween 2013 missions, it's discovered that Ellis Hill actually left an apology note on the corpse of [[spoiler: the ''real'' Ellis Hill]], claiming that "[[BlueAndOrangeMorality you put a man in the ground, you owe him an explanation for why]]."

--> "I might not be able to hold back. Apologies in advance..."

* ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur]]'' games

** Patrokolos from ''Soulcalibur V'' says "I'm sorry" quite often when fighting against his sister Pyrrha, who herself does this a lot due to being manipulated by Tira into becoming a killing machine (and a suitable vessel for [[EvilWeapon Soul Edge]]).

* In ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: Blacklist'', Briggs softly apologizes right before MercyKilling [[spoiler:the Secretary of Defense]].
* [[RobotBuddy PROXY]] from ''Franchise/{{Star Wars|Legends}}: VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' has the "primary programming" directive of killing his master, Starkiller. However, being a very naive droid who literally doesn't understand the concept of death, he treats it like an ordinary task and is otherwise quite friendly toward him. In fact, every time he randomly attacks Starkiller and fails to strike him down, he apologises for it.

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', The Engineer might apologize when killing a Pyro. This is mainly because Pyros [[EnemyMine are the natural Spy killers, and Engineers hate Spies.]]
** On Halloween maps with a wheel, Merasmus will occasionally [[UrineTrouble coat both teams in Jarate]]...and interrupt his constant gloating to [[EvenEvilHasStandards apologize for doing that]].

*** [[spoiler: Asgore]] manages to be a {{downplayed|Trope}} version in his normal boss fight; he's less direct about it, but he still makes it clear that he ''really'' does not want to fight the protagonist.
* Susie Evans from ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', being a staunch pacifist, will sometimes freeze up and stop moving if you order her to attack someone (regardless of how much AP she has left). She can, however, use Ragnaid on an ally and still move around fine.
** That simply doesn't do it enough justice. If ordered to attack someone, she will actually apologize. Depending on your sense of humour, this is either tragic or darkly hilarious.
--->'''Susie''': ''Before shooting someone in the head'' "Sorry if this hurts!"\\
'''Susie''': ''Before throwing a grenade'' "I'm a ''pacifist''!"

* Avril Vent Fleur in ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMs 5}}'' apologizes for the pain she's about to inflict with her attacks.

** Vaelastarsz - a Red Dragon enslaved by Black Dragon Nefarian.
---> '''Vaelstrasz The Corrupt:''' Forgive me, (player)! Your death only adds to my failure!
** Sir Zeliek - a great Paladin turned into a marionette of the [[BigBad Lich King]], trapped inside his own body as the Lich King uses his own holy powers to commit atrocities.
---> '''[[PeoplePuppets Sir Zeliek]]:''' Forgive me! I- I have no choice but to obey!
** In ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone|HeroesOfWarcraft}}'', any time Alexstrasza makes an attack she states: "I will mourn your death"
* In Episode I of ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'', one of MOMO's battle end sayings is "I'm sorry, are you okay?" If they collapsed in a [[HighPressureBlood shower of blood]], they are pretty far from "okay."

--->"Poor lost souls... may you be reborn again anew!"
--->"May all your souls rest in peace..."
* Despite fighting otherworldly monsters or people corrupted by the Hollows beyond the point of sanity and hope, both known as Ethereals, Corin Wickes of ''VideoGame/ZenlessZoneZero'' is constantly apologizing to them while she tears them to bits with her [[ChainsawGood circular saw.]] To really emphasize the point, her switch-attack and ultimate are called "Sorry..." and "Very, Very Sorry!", respectively.
-->'''Corin Wickes''': Aaaah, I'm sorry!

* It turns out this is the real way to use the eponymous Sword of Truth in ''Literature/SwordOfTruth''. Holding onto pure anger will get some mileage out of it, but holding onto pure ''forgiveness'' will cut through magical defenses. Naturally, true forgiveness is pretty hard to ''not'' express to some extent. YMMV on this one, as the first example overlaps with StockholmSyndrome. It makes sense in context.
* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' novel "The First Heretic", part of the ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' Series, the main protagonist whisper "Forgive me" over the vox channel to a loyal captain during the famous Drop Site Massacre, right afterwards he gave the order to open fire, causing thousands of the loyalists to die within seconds.

** The Tenth Doctor [[ApologisesALot apologizes]] [[CatchPhrase all the damn time]], and on several occasions "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry" meant "I have run out of ideas for how to save you and your victims, so I'm going to kill you now." Obviously does not apply to beings such as Daleks.

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' game ''Eye of the TARDIS'' from the BBC's website involves the Doctor's consciousness being trapped in the TARDIS computer, and the player is charged with the task of defeating virtual avatars of the Doctor's enemies (by jumping on them to destroy them), and gathering energy crystals so that he can escape. The game features David Tennant's voice, as the Doctor says "[[CatchPhrase Sorry, I'm so sorry]]" to each enemy avatar as it is destroyed. By the time you get to the fourth level, he is saying this as he destroys ''Daleks''.

** Though it doesn't strictly count as an apology, the fifth Mizukage expresses regret before attacking [[spoiler: Sasuke.]] He notes that it's NothingPersonal, but enough ''other'' people want [[spoiler: Sasuke]] dead for it to be worth it.

* In an episode of ''Series/LazyTown'', [[PunBasedTitle aptly named,]] [[Recap/LazyTownS1E2Defeeted Defeeted,]] Sportacus is outfitted in a pair of [[TrickedOutShoes remote-controlled boots]] which control his feet while worn. When the footwear are activated, under the control of Robbie Rotten, the hero is forced into kicking the Mayor. This leads to him immediately apologizing whilst trying to gain back control.

* At the end of of ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'', you'll end up having to battle against, [[VersionExclusiveContent depending on the version]], [[spoiler:Professor Sada or Turo, or rather, their RidiculouslyHumanRobot double, who is programmed to stop anyone who attempts shut down the original Professor's time machine. The robot themself is actually a BenevolentAI [[GrewBeyongTheirProgramming who wishes to stop the summoning of Pokémon from the distant past or future]] [[MorallySuperiorCopy due to the danger they are to present day Pokémon]], and as such warn you preemptively that starting the time machine's shutdown protocol will forcilbly override their programming to make them fight you]].

* In the climax of the ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' movie "Operation: Z.E.R.O.", Numbuh One is able to jury rig the Birthday Suits so they ''partially'' cure his teammates of the zombified condition. (He was in a rush.) As they use the manual controls to launch an attack on [[BigBad Granfather]], Numbuh Two kicks Numbah One in the ribs, and then says, "Uh, sorry! The lower half of my body is still evil."

'''Member of Team Impossible:''' Not really, but that's what our lawyer told me to say.

* After Him turned everyone evil in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Powerpuff Girls|1998}}'', they apologized after beating the snot out of everybody.
* In the TV version of ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'', the abbot smacks an invader on the head, apologizes, smacks another on the head, and asks for fogiveness after the second hit.

{{Heroes}} are, at least for the most part, good people, with clear morals. However, they also have to dish out some punishment now and again, usually directed at [[{{Villains}} people who are decidedly less good]], and whose morals are rather lacking, so it's all good.