History Main / BattleTrophy

* In ''Literature/TheDreamsideRoad'', some of [[TheDrifter Orson Gregory's]] weaponized souvenirs were won in battle.

* Although she didn't kill him herself, Delores Umbridge's appropriation of [[spoiler:Mad-Eye Moody's eye]] in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' has this kind of intent.
* The opening of ''Literature/{{Kim}}'', by Creator/RudyardKipling, mentions an actual cannon in Lahore:

* Monsters slain by demigods in ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' will usually [[NoBodyLeftBehind dissolve into sand]], but will sometimes leave a severed body part (Medusa's head, the minotaur's horn, etc.) as spoils of war.

* ''Literature/{{The Way Of Kings|2010}}'' (first book of ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''): When Highprince Sadeas returns from a disastrous battle against the Parshendi, he tells the family of one of the dead generals that the savage Parshendi had carried off bloodied pieces of the general's [[PowerArmor Shardplate]] as trophies. [[spoiler:Of course, Sadeas is lying. Besides the fact that [[ProudWarriorRace this is completely out of character for the Parshendi]], Sadeas actually abandoned Dalinar's army completely on purpose. He is enraged when he finds out that Dalinar survived (with a ''much'' reduced army)]].
* In ''Literature/TheThingsTheyCarried'', some soldiers cut off thumbs and things from dead VC. This is to a certain extent TruthInTelevision.
* This backfires in the ''Literature/CitiesInFlight'' series. Some members of the City Police are captured on a FeudalFuture planet and are wondering what happened to their PoweredArmor. Turns out their captors like to display captured suits of armor in their entry hall, so when their prisoners escape they know exactly where to go for MoreDakka.
* Literature/DorianHawkmoon was very pleased after killing a pirate captain. Hawkmoon may be far-future Germanic nobility, but that pirate had the finest sword that Hawkmoon ever saw and he happily took it for his own.
* In the ''Tamara and Kethry'' stories by Creator/MercedesLackey, the finest weapon that Tamara has ever owned and which she still uses came from a masterswordsman that she accidentally stole from and then slew when she and Kethry fought a demon-worshipping cult that had just come off of having an orgy.
* At the start of ''Skyfarer'', the first novel in ''Literature/TheDriftingLands'', the BlackKnight Lord Azrael purposely challenges the prince whose kingdom that the Eternal Order is invading to a duel. One reason was out of respect for the prince's valour and the other is becaue Azrael covets the prince's enchanted sword for his own.

* Creator/GamesWorkshop games:
** Most factions in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'', ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' and ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' take the body parts of worthy opponents as trophies. The forces of Chaos are particularly infamous for their habit of taking gory trophies with Skulltaker, the personal champion of the [[WarGod Blood God Khorne]], wearing a cape made from his victim’s skulls (his tabletop model itself includes over 100 skulls).
** ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'':
*** At the end of the War of the Beard, the Dwarf king Gotrek took the Elven king's Phoenix Crown as compensation, it still remains in the Dwarfs' treasury to this day.
*** Wulfrik the Wanderer, whose job it is to WalkTheEarth killing dangerous things and people for Chaos, keeps the trophies on his person, including skulls, a giant's scalp for a cape, and an entire crucified skeleton.
*** The Skaven Warlord Queek Headtaker is in the habit of carving trophies from the bodies of especially challenging enemies after defeating them, which he then mounts on a rack he wears on his back. The display has become quite varied over time, bearing the head of the Dwarf King Krug Ironhand, the spine, ribcage and skull of the rival Warlord Ikit Slash, the skull of the Orc Big Boss Morglum Blacktooth and the hands of Baron Albrecht Kraus of Averland. This mainly serves as a reminder to his rivals and liege lord alike of the prowess of the almighty Warlord Queek, but he's also taken to having conversations with them.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''
** 3rd Edition:
*** Chuuls take trophies from its victims, such as weapons, armor and other belongings. If the victim has nothing, the chuul removes and keeps its skull.
*** Devils are known to attack other creatures in order to take trophies from them.
*** ''[[TabletopGame/ScarredLands Creature Collection]]'': Belsamaug keep knives and daggers it takes from their victims as trophies. Steppe trolls take the heads of mighty warriors they have defeated in battle, incorporating them into their armor or making the skulls into drinking goblets or saddle ornaments.
*** There is also the Trophy Collector feat, which allows the player character to do this themselves, and grants intimidation bonuses against the creature's kin.
** Beholders enjoy taking trophies from slain foes, and their lairs are decorated with the petrified remnants of defeated adventures, pieces of other beholders, and magical items taken from powerful foes.
* Ganks in Fantasy Flight Game's ''TabletopGame/StarWarsRoleplayingGame'' value trophies as an important part of their culture. With even those not engaged in violent or criminal activity having some.
** The Hunter's Trophy Armor is a suit made of beasts the hunter has killed.

* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Spike's [[BadassLongCoat duster]] is revealed to be this in the episode "Fool For Love". He took it from the second Slayer he defeated. In the same episode, a random vampire who managed to get the better of Buffy kept her stake. Riley later killed him and took it back.

* The ''ComicBook/FantasticFour have or had a time machine they took from Dr. Doom.

* Almost every incarnation of Franchise/{{Batman}} collects items he gained from his enemies like weapons and costumes. In fact the giant penny was from a case where the Penny Plunderer tried to steal it. It was later changed to Two-Face trying to steal it.
* Every major Marvel team like the X-Men and Avengers have or had a time machine they took from Dr. Doom

* After defeating the Overmaster, the ComicBook/JusticeLeague realize how huge his escape pod was, so they take it to use as a base.

* [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Cosmic]] ComicBook/GhostRider's indestructible crimson chain? That's made from Cytorak's bones.

** In "Soldiers Of The Empire", a Klingon on the ''Rotarran'' wears a necklace of Cardassian neckbones.
** In "The Siege of AR-558", the minor character of Reece has a neck chain made from Ketracel-White tubes, taken from dead Jem'hadar. This is depicted as indicating a partial breakdown of Starfleet discipline as a result of [[WarIsHell a long period of trench warfare]].
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''
** Used for DeliberateValuesDissonance when a Kazon youth named Kar shows Chakotay the trophies in one of their spaceships, proudly pointing out a trophy taken from Kar's dead brother, killed by another Kazon to [[ARealManIsAKiller earn his name]].
** The Hirogen, whose [[PlanetOfHats hat]] is HuntingTheMostDangerousGame, display the bones and internal organs of their prey on the bulkheads of their ships. In "The Killing Game", a Hirogen Alpha shows contempt when a Nazi officer brags of his looted art collection, as such trophies were taken from an already defeated enemy rather than one he bested in single combat.

* In ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'''s second season, [[spoiler: [[AntiVillain Kuze]]]] keeps Batou's knife after beating him in a fight. He reclaims it [[spoiler:in the final episode, when Kuze surrenders.]]

* Although she didn't kill him herself, Delores Umbridge's appropriation of [[spoiler: Mad-Eye Moody's eye]] in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' has this kind of intent.

* ''VideoGame/{{Gauntlet}}'': After the [[spoiler: first]] fight with Skorne in ''Gauntlet: Legends'', you acquire his helm and gauntlets. Noteworthy in that they are among the most powerful secondary weapons in the game.

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', it is revealed that [[spoiler: either the brain or the heart of the Human Reaper]] was taken from the Collector Base after the events of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and incorporated into the systems of [[spoiler: Cerberus HQ]]. It actually has a practical purpose, serving as a War Asset and [[spoiler:helping determine whether it's easier to Destroy or Control the Reapers]].

* ''Webcomic/AwkwardZombie'': [[https://www.awkwardzombie.com/awkward-zombie/fired-emblem-part3 Apparently]], Peach takes trophies from every kill she makes in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' -- her main reason for being excited about Dark Pit joining the roster is that now she can decorate her hat with his black feathers alongside Pit's white and Falco's blue.

** Taking weapons from dead enemies was also relatively common, both as trophies (Lugers taken from German officers, particularly by American soldiers) and for more practical reasons (British soldiers would take German [=MP40=]s over their own Stens, since the Sten [[UniversalAmmunition took the same ammo as the MP40]][[note]](A deliberate design choice on the assumption that, if an advance was successful, German ammunition captured could be immediately put to use, instead of waiting for resupply to work its way to the front lines.)[[/note]], but [[ReliablyUnreliableGuns were much less reliable]]). Note that this prevalence of this practice means that abandoned weapons are also commonly used as bait for {{Booby Trap}}s.

** 875 cannons captured from Napoleon's grand army as they retreated from Russia are on display along the south walls of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kremlin_Arsenal Kremlin Arsenal]].

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': Eldest Gruff in ''Literature/SmallFavor'' has an understated but especially frightening version. He wears on his belt three very old purple stoles -- the sort worn by [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking senior members]] of the [[WizardClassic White Council of wizards]]. He takes out the villains' [[TheBrute Brute]] in less time than it takes to blink, and despite everything that Harry had fought up to that point he would have stood absolutely no chance, hence why he has to [[GuileHero escape]] using the eponymous "small favor".

* ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. After knocking out cyborg girl Triela, BadassNormal child hitman Pinocchio claims her SIG pistol, a particular humiliation as she was personally issued it by TheHandler she dotes upon. After fleeing though, Pinocchio realises the necklace given to him by his cell leader/ParentalSubstitute has been left behind. Triela claims it for herself until she has the opportunity to [[DueToTheDead leave it on his dead body]].

* Clementine of ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'' takes the guild plates of adventurers she kills. The portion of her ChainmailBikini that looks like bronze scale armor is actually her collection of plates.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13545968/1/Wilhuff-Tarkin-Hero-of-the-Rebellion Wilhuff Tarkin, Hero of the Rebellion]]'':

* ''Film/MadMax2RoadWarrior'': In one scene, the Curmudgeon is carrying a katana that he presumably took as a UsefulNotes/WorldWarII souvenir (one of his medals is for the Pacific campaign).

** There was also the famous exhortation of Spartan women to their husbands and sons going off to war: "Return with your shields or on them!" Meaning they should prevent their shields from falling into enemy hands, even if they got killed in the process. (It's also been interpreted that a warrior who flees would logically toss away his heavy shield to do so, which also has him break formation and leave the rest of his comrades-in-arms in a rut.)

** Taking weapons from dead enemies was also relatively common, both as trophies (Lugers taken from German officers) and for more practical reasons (British soldiers would take German [=MP40=]s over their own Stens, since the Sten [[UniversalAmmunition took the same ammo as the MP40]][[note]](A deliberate design choice on the assumption that, if an advance was successful, German ammunition captured could be immediately put to use, instead of waiting for resupply to work its way to the front lines.)[[/note]], but [[ReliablyUnreliableGuns were much less reliable]]). Note that this prevalence of this practice means that abandoned weapons are also commonly used as bait for {{Booby Trap}}s.

* The Koh-i-Noor diamond, ended up in the collections of prince after prince after one conquered the other, finally(to date) ending up in the crown of Great Britain.

* The ''Anime/DragonballZ'' fanfiction Fanfic/BringerOfDeath has a particularly gruesome example in the form of Frieza & Kooler's severed heads, affixed to the front of Vegeta's CoolShip.
* In FanFic/TheGreatSlaveKing, both Darkpaw's pelt and skull are taken by the Slave King. He's almost never seen without wearing the former, and displays the latter above his throne.
* A Diamond Dog foot soldier in ''[[Fanfic/TheConversionBureau A Dark in the Light]]'' tends to collect armor, weapons and other gear as a form of this.

* Played with in ''Fanfic/WellMatched''. Kate and Sophie keep their bloodstained shirts after their boxing match, but they each keep their own.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13545968/1/Wilhuff-Tarkin-Hero-of-the-Rebellion Wilhuff Tarkin, Hero of the Rebellion]]'', Rivoche Tarkin and Luke took down [[spoiler:the rogue Jedi A'sharad Hett]], and when it came to collect the bounty she refused any cash and instead requested one of [[spoiler:his two lightsabers]] as this, after it was deactivated. She was allowed to keep both, and she wears them as accessories.
** At one point, to stave off boredom, Darth Vader cashed in a debt Wilhuff Tarkin owed him and had the Grand Moff hunt him down, as he expected him to actually give him a challenge. When Tarkin instead ''wins'' he spares Vader... But keeps his armor as a trophy.
* ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. After being invited to dinner by Captain Janeway, Chakotay finds the shipbuilder's plate of his former command, the rocketship ''Valjean'', mounted in her wardroom. When he suggests that she take it down [[EnemyMine given that the Maquis and Spacefleet crews are now working together]], Janeway refuses. "I'm quite proud of that trophy. The captain of that rocketship [[WorthyOpponent gave us a good deal of trouble]], as I recall."
* ''FanFic/ChildrenOfRemnant'': An accidental case. After one of Pyrrha and Tyrian's spars, Pyrrha successfully cut off Tyrian's stinger, which he then presented to her as a trophy. Although she was disgusted, she didn't want to decline his offer, and it apparently still hangs up in her room.
* ''Fanfic/AThingOfVikings'': The story opens with a visiting merchant sailor watching Berk relocate the tail club of the [[{{Kaiju}} Green Death]] to Berk, using a flock of dragons to lift the house-size mass of bone and scales to its new resting place next to the mead hall. Several teeth as long as people are tall are also mounted above the door, scales the size of dinner plates are gifted to the merchant for making the voyage, and fragments of bone were collected and carved into art pieces that are gifted in later chapters during Hiccup and Astrid's wedding.
* ''Fanfic/TheSeaShadow'': The sash Vivian wears is from a Gooper Blooper who's tentacle she cut off during a fight.

** Meanwhile, in the prequel/sequel ''[[EvenBetterSequel Origins]]'', you can do the same for various other bosses,[[labelnote:list]][[AntiMagic the Sandfeeder]], [[FlyingSeafoodSpecial the Lord]] [[SuperPersistentPredator of the]] [[IncendiaryExponent Lava Caves]], [[ThatOneBoss the Holoholo]] [[GiantFlyer Bird]] and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent the Black Dragon.[[/labelnote]] taking something from the remains of their corpses[[labelnote:list]]Silk from the Sandfeeder, the Lava Lord's Skull, a plume from the Holoholo Bird and the Black Dragon's horn.[[/labelnote]]. Unlike in ''Eternal Wings'', you can pick them up as often as you want, so whether you want to take them with you now or later doesn't make much of a difference. Once you become Champion of the Colosseum, you can take these trophies to an {{NPC}} who will use them to revive the origin of the trophy, allowing you to face these bosses again as often as you want in the Colosseum, this time with accompanying SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic. In the case of the Sandfeeder and Holoholo Bird, [[BossRush they'll even bring along]] [[PaletteSwap the Hearteater and Mange-Roches]], respectively, as a bonus. However, [[VillainForgotToLevelGrind their stats do not get upgraded in any way]] (or if they do, not in any meaningful way), so by the time you can refight them, [[CurbStompBattle expect to take all]] but [[ThatOneBoss the Black Dragon]] [[CurbStompBattle down in a few seconds.]]

* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar II: Retribution'': At the beginning of the ork campaign, [[SpacePirate Freeboota Kaptin]] Bluddflagg makes a deal with Inquisitor Adrastia to prevent a Daemon Prince from ascending. He accepts, but demands her [[NiceHat hat]] as well, which she refuses. At the end of the campaign, he sneaks up on her, takes her hat... and leaves, NotWorthKilling being the absolute worst insult in orkdom.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' gets [[SuperSoldier Jägermonsters]], who in turn get a fascination with [[NiceHat hats]] as their, ah, [[PlanetOfHats hat]]. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20031017 Losing the hat]] is a disgrace and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100521 acquiring one]] is a SeriousBusiness:

** The Hirogen, whose [[SpeciesOfHats hat]] is HuntingTheMostDangerousGame, display the bones and internal organs of their prey on the bulkheads of their ships. In "The Killing Game", a Hirogen Alpha shows contempt when a Nazi officer brags of his looted art collection, as such trophies were taken from an already defeated enemy rather than one he bested in single combat.

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Used for DeliberateValuesDissonance when a Kazon youth named Kar shows Chakotay the trophies displayed on a bulkhead of their spaceship, proudly pointing out one that belonged to his dead brother, killed by another Kazon to [[ARealManIsAKiller earn his name]].

Related to CreepySouvenir, DecapitationPresentation, RobbingTheDead, {{Plunder}}, AScarToRemember, ShrunkenHead. SuperheroTrophyShelf is a subtrope. As is often NemeanSkinning. Will likely be related to UnsportsmanlikeGloating.

* ''TabletopGame/InNomine'' supplement ''Superiors 1: War and Honor''. Angels who follow the Archangel Michael have been known to take the weapons, insignia or even body parts of defeated demons as trophies. A few of them have necklaces of demon ears.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'', defeating bosses will sometimes drop a trophy depicting a certain part of that boss that can be mounted upon the wall as a BraggingRightsReward, not to mention making for good VendorTrash if you already have them. Examples include the [[BlobMonster King Slime's]] trophy, consisting of a slime-soaked katana belonging to the unfortunate ninja who got eaten up by the boss and the [[SandWorm Eater of Worlds']] trophy, depicting one of its many eyes.

** ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' : Ork Warbosses like to collect and display the skulls, horns or tusks of particularly dangerous enemies. [[SuperSoldier Astartes]] helmets are highly prized as not only do they indicate the Ork has defeated a WorthyOpponent, but the helmets [[HighlyConspicuousUniform come in a variety of bright colours]]. Warbosses from the more military minded Blood Axe Clan also hit on the idea that the CommissarCap are used by 'umiez to indicate rank, and so these are a frequent addition to their trophy racks.

* This causes the death of Hoobler in ''Series/BandOfBrothers''. He shoots a German officer and eagerly helps himself to the officer's Luger pistol, only to get killed when the Luger discharges [[PantsPositiveSafety after it's tucked into his pants]].