History Main / BlaseBoast

It may ''look'' like someone acting dismissive of their deeds, but the boaster is actually very proud of them. They are just being dismissive to mess with someone's head, or to seem more badass. Alternatively, it may be that they're confident enough that [[BewareTheQuietOnes they don't need to boast or bluster]]-if you're stupid enough to mess with them, you ''will'' go down, and that's all there is to it.

* ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'': When she claims the divine artifact she believes she was destined for, [[LadyOfBlackWanda Wanda]] says "For these, I have wrecked and ruined more than ''you'' have" to a man who'd just destroyed a city and two armies via weaponized volcano.

* Not a boast, but in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier,'' Cap [[AwesomenessByAnalysis realizes that he's been ambushed]] by nine men, who surround him in the elevator and prepare to take him down. He very calmly asks if anyone would like to get out. Cue CurbStompBattle--from the one.

If the "boaster" is honestly dismissive of what they did they're just saying ButForMeItWasTuesday and thus not a boaster. If they're ashamed, they won't bring it up outside of YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame or NeverLiveItDown.

* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', Doctor Strange is asked by Odin what kind of game he is playing:

** He later gives a quiet, subdued one to Thor when the latter goes into PapaWolf mode:
-->We both know that no prison built will hold me. I've been through enough tortures that anything you could do to me would be at best amusingly quaint and frankly, cathartic.

'''Yoda:''' Strong you are with TheDarkSide, young one. ''[smiles]'' But not that strong.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': After several hundred years of a TraumaCongaLine, Lapis Lazuli finally meets the gem that made her, essential her ''god'', and one of the most powerful beings in the universe, Blue Diamond. And she's ''unimpressed'' with the Diamond's powerful EmotionBomb that's brought down everyone else around her.

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': The legendary MasterSwordsman Meti tends to describe her awe-inspiring exploits in a brusque, matter-of-fact way, not least because she's come to believe that the whole thing was a fool's errand.
--> '''Maya:''' The boys say you are the greatest sword fighter ever to have lived. That you once fought naked with a hundred men and won.\\

'''Omar:''' [smiles, shrugs, and sits back in his seat] [[https://youtu.be/oYj7q_by_2E?t=1m Day at a time, I suppose]].

--->'''Maya:''' I would like to tell you that I am a noodle vendor, but alas! Instead, I am a disciple of the principle art of ''[[Implausible Fencing Powers cutting]]''.

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[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]

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* Quite a few advertising campaigns, especially of big companies just list provable facts about the company to make people realize how awesome they are; sometimes overlapping with MundaneMadeAwesome. UsefulNotes/DeutscheBahn for instance once had one where they list figures like the Horse Powers of a locomotive, the number of switches in their entire network and so on to convince people of a job in railroading.

* In the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series, Albus Dumbledore contemplates Azkaban, the hellish abomination-guarded prison from which only two escapes have been carried out in its multi-century history (and one of those, it's implied, was because said guards were looking the other way). Also bear in mind that while at least part of Dumbledore's power comes from wielding the most powerful MagicWand ever created, all prisoners at Azkaban naturally have their wands confiscated. Almost all varieties of magic when used without a wand are (at best) unfocused and uncontrollable. Dumbledore is implying that ''for him'' this is not case and that he doesn't actually need a wand at all, putting him on a whole other level than other wizards.

[[folder: Real Life]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder: Fanfiction]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Alaric Morgan, his thumbs hooked in his swordbelt, addressing Mearan prisoners in ''[[Literature/{{Deryni}} The King's Justice]]''. He's boasting about his Deryni powers (Mind Reading), which most of them only know by [[ShroudedInMyth fearsome reputation]]. He's more overt when he proposes this to Kelson, "I assure you, my culling would be far more than just lots," and he reminds Kelson that he (Morgan) already has [[HeroWithBadPublicity an infamous reputation]].

* In the ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' books, Cain, THE HERO OF THE IMPERIUM, does this a lot. He makes sure to remind the reader that he only does it to seem like a HumbleHero. If he talked himself up too much, after all, he'd get missions dangerous than the ones he's already assigned.

* ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance'': The InexplicablyAwesome Hoid completely disregards the priceless and extremely lethal SoulCuttingBlade [[spoiler:Jasnah Kholin]] is pointing at him, only mentioning that he would be surprised if it posed him any threat.
* In ''Literature/CodexAlera:'' [[MasterSwordsman Aldrick]] [[ArrogantKungFuGuy ex]] [[MeaningfulName Gladius]] spends the first book telling everyone whom he fights that they may be good, but the only person who ever defeated him was [[FamedInStory Araris Valerian,]] who's dead now. He [[BondOneLiner usually follows this up with a killing blow.]] Zig-zagged towards the end of the book, when he's about to kill [[TheHero Tavi]], and another character blocks the fatal blow. Guess who it is.
* In ''Literature/TheSilverChair'', Aslan chooses a chillingly nonchalant way to describe his PhysicalGod status. The book notes that the Lion "didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it."
-->'''Jill:''' Do you eat girls? \\
'''Aslan:''' I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms.
* In ''Literature/SkinGame'' Donar Vadderung, aka [[spoiler: Odin]], says of TheSpymaster FallenAngel Anduriel that "he knows very nearly as much as I do." He had just told [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]] that Anduriel can, with concentration, [[SurveillanceAsThePlotDemands look out from any being's shadow, hear what they're saying, and sometimes even see through it]].
* ''Literature/{{Shatterpoint}}'' has Mace Windu calmly explain that Kar Vastor (who's stronger in the Force and physically) "is not the most dangerous man in the Korunnai Highlands." He then proves it. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Repeatedly.]]
-->'''Nick Rostu:''' You only say that because you don't know him.
-->'''Mace:''' I only say that because he doesn't know me.

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

* [[TheGrimReaper Death]] in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' alternates between this trope and ButForMeItWasTuesday when talking to the Winchesters. As a cosmic entity as old as the universe, he's beyond taking pride in his work, but he does like to remind them why their attitude does ''not'' impress him. Once, when they ask him for advice:
--> '''Bobby:''' That [door to Purgatory] only opens in the [[CelestialDeadline eclipse]], and that's over...\\
'''Death:''' I'll make another.
* Omar Little from ''Series/TheWire'' is a stick up man, that is, an armed robber who [[KarmicThief targets only drug dealers and other criminals to steal from]]. While Omar has SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome after moment of awesome throughout the series, there's something special about the following exchange in Season 2, at the start of the trial of [[ProfessionalKiller a drugland assassin]] who tortured and murdered Omar's [[{{Gayngster}} boyfriend Brandon]].
-->'''Asst. State's Attorney Ilene Nathan:''' What exactly do you do for a living, Mr. Little?\\
'''Omar:''' I robs drug dealers.\\
'''Asst. State's Attorney Ilene Nathan:''' And exactly how long has that been your occupation, Mr. Little?\\
'''Omar:''' Oh, I don't know exactly, I venture to say about... eight or nine years.\\
'''Asst. State's Attorney Ilene Nathan:''' Mr. Little, how does a man rob drug dealers for 8 or 9 years and live to tell about it?\\
'''Omar:''' [smiles, shrugs, and sits back in his seat] [[https://youtu.be/oYj7q_by_2E?t=1m Day at a time, I suppose]].

** The Doctor, as a LivingLegend who exemplifies BewareTheNiceOnes, has had a few of these throughout his time. Most notably, in ''The Impossible Astronaut:''

** The [[BigGood White]] [[GoodIsNotNice Guardian]] gets an excellent one in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS16E1TheRibosOperation "The Ribos Operation]]," when telling the Doctor about a quest that needs undertaking.
--->'''The Doctor''': Ah! You want me to volunteer, is that it? And if I don't?\\
'''The Guardian''': Nothing.\\
'''The Doctor''': What? Nothing? You mean nothing will happen to me?\\
'''The Guardian''': Nothing at all. ''[{{Beat}}]'' Ever.

[[folder: Live-Action Film]]
* ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'': Dr. Manhattan, describing the moment that Jon Osterman was torn into atomic shreds, later forcing himself to rebuild himself into a PhysicalGod from nothing.
-->'''Manhattan:''' I felt fear. For the last time.
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[[folder: Webcomics ]]
* In ''Webcomic/TalesOfTheQuestor'', Quentyn's father can be one [[http://www.rhjunior.com/tales-of-the-questor-0077/ evil old goat.]] This is ''definitely'' the "mess with someone's head" variety.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Grant}}'', the eponymous character states that no-one is strong enough to rip a padlock off a door. Then he calls the lock a piece of junk when he does precisely that, startling his boyfriend. [[spoiler: He could also be hiding his true nature from a girl he's rescuing from the horse trailer the padlock was on.]]

* ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'':
** "Chaz," the magic talking sword powered by the blood of the innocent, gets this a lot. We have never seen anything survive a direct attack from him, and even one of the most powerful beings in the universe was permanently crippled from a scratch. This gives him a very deadpan arrogance.
--->'''Torg:''' Chaz, what happens to spirits when you "kill" them?\\
'''Chaz:''' They have no idea.
** When fighting lesser demons, Torg pulls out Chaz, who is already glowing.
--->'''Agent Whisper:''' ''[amused]'' You have a magic sword! Is it strong enough to take on demons, boy?\\
'''Torg:''' I am trying really hard not to giggle.

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': The legendary MasterSwordsman Meti tends to describe her awe-inspiring exploits in a brusque, matter-of-fact way, not least because she's come to believe that the whole thing was a fool's errand.
--> '''Maya:''' The boys say you are the greatest sword fighter ever to have lived. That you once fought naked with a hundred men and won.\\
'''Meti:''' The first is debatable. The second is undoubtedly false. It was ten thousand men.
* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'': The InexplicablyAwesome [[spoiler:[[CompleteImmortality immortal]] TimeAbyss]] Jones [[https://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=816 delivers one]], completely [[EmotionlessGirl without emotion]], to the PhysicalGod Coyote when the well-being of a Court student is in question:
-->'''Coyote:''' She's not going anywhere she doesn't want to!\\
'''Jones:''' You know I can take her if I wish.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

-->'''Long Feng:''' You've beaten me at my own game.
-->'''Azula:''' Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player.

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%%* Website/{{Twitter}} has #humblebrag.

%%[[/folder]]

* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': Schlock usually brag about what he's done, or complaining about being stopped from doing it, or... However, [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2008-06-28 in one case]]:
--> ''"Bring me a multi-cannon and a hull-cutter. I've got this."''

* WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse: After several hundred years of a TraumaCongaLine, Lapis Lazuli finally meets the gem that made her, essential her ''god'', and one of the most powerful beings in the universe, Blue Diamond. And she's ''unimpressed'' with the Diamond's powerful EmotionBomb that's brought down everyone else around her.

* In the ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' books, Cain does this a lot. He makes sure to remind the reader that he only does it to seem like a HumbleHero.

* ''Literature/{{Shatterpoint}}'' has Mace Windu calmly explain that "Kar Vastor (who's stronger in the Force and physically) is not the most dangerous man in the Korunnai Highlands."

** He then proves it. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Repeatedly.]]

--> Bring me a multi-cannon and a hull-cutter. I've got this.

** He then proves it. [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments Repeatedly.]]

* Omar Little from ''Series/TheWire'' is a stick up man, that is, an armed robber who [[KarmicThief targets only drug dealers and other criminals to steal from]]. While Omar has MomentOfAwesome after moment of awesome throughout the series, there's something special about the following exchange in Season 2, at the start of the trial of [[ProfessionalKiller a drugland assassin]] who tortured and murdered Omar's [[{{Gayngster}} boyfriend Brandon]].

* In the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series, Albus Dumbledore contemplates Azkaban, the hellish abomination-guarded prison from which only two escapes have been carried out in its multi-century history (and one of those, it's implied, was because said guards were looking the other way).