History Main / CombatCompliment

* ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'': At the end, Vader does it to Luke to try and encourage him to unleash his dark side, and then the Emperor does the same at the end of Jedi.

* ''Film/{{Serenity}}'': The Operative compliments his opponents accomplishments, but also declares their "sin".

** Lucci, when he isn't being a SmugSuper, does compliments his opponents when they do especially well. When he learns Franky took out one of the CP9 agents, he praise him for being super human. He also compliments Luffy's leadership skills and praise the crew when he learns that they beat all of his comrades.

* In ''Literature/{{Twig}}'', the viewpoint protagonist Sylvester, while undercover at a preparatory school, meets a [[KillAndReplace clone of a student]] named Mary, who successfully manipulates the other students into getting him alone with her before pulling a gun on him in order to interrogate her. He expresses sincere admiration for her cunning, and continues to do so over their next several confrontations, leading her to [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters betray her creator]] when she comes to the conclusion that he left her to die in order to delay Sylvester.

* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'': The rematch of [[WorthyOpponent Fate and Signum]] had both fighters pausing momentarily after a flurry of blows so that they can compliment the other's skills and the power of their [[EmpathicWeapon Device]]. Humorously, it's the Devices that give thanks, not the fighters themselves.
--> '''Signum''': "Testarossa, you got really strong, you and Bardiche."
--> '''Bardiche''': "''[[GratuitousEnglish Thank you.]]''"
--> '''Fate''': "You're strong, too, Laevatine and Signum."
--> '''Laevatine''': "''[[GratuitousGerman Danke.]]''"
* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'': "[[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld You're young]], but you're a good knight" were Zest's words to Vita when she was handily stopping him from achieving his goal. Agito promptly complained to Zest about how he shouldn't be wasting his time praising his opponent.

* It's common courtesy in {{First Person Shooters}}s to compliment an opponent on a particularly good kill. Even/especially if the one killed was you.

* ''Anime/StrikerS'': "[[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld You're young]], but you're a good knight" were Zest's words to Vita when she was handily stopping him from achieving his goal. Agito promptly complained to Zest about how he shouldn't be wasting his time praising his opponent.

[AC:Literature]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic'': The Bog King is increasingly impressed by Marianne's skill with a sword throughout their duel - and says so. On her part, she's having fun taunting him but later tells him she enjoyed their fight.

* ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara 3'':

* In the climactic fight in the ''Film/IronMan'' movie, Stark's opponent is constantly praising Tony's technical genius and tactical cunning.
* In the famous duel in ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' both the Man in Black and Inigo Montoya treat the whole thing like a game and are free with their compliments of each other's skills.
** There are also some good-natured compliments between the Man in Black and Fezzik during their battle.
** And between the Man in Black and Vizzini. "You've beaten my giant; you must be very strong."
* ''StarWars'': At the end of Empire Vader does it to Luke to try and encourage him to unleash his dark side, and then the Emperor does the same at the end of Jedi.
--> "Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well."
* In ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'', when Kambei was fighting Kyuzo, he said "[[HoYay I'm in love]]...with your fighting style," or something like that.
* In ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', The Operative compliments his opponents accomplishments, but also declares their "sin".
* Jack Sparrow complimenting Will's form during their first duel in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'':
-->'''Jack''': You know what you're doing, I'll give you that. But how's your footwork? If I step here... *swash swash buckle buckle*... Very good!
* ''[[MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's]]'': The rematch of [[WorthyOpponent Fate and Signum]] had both fighters pausing momentarily after a flurry of blows so that they can compliment the other's skills and the power of their [[EmpathicWeapon Device]]. Humorously, it's the Devices that give thanks, not the fighters themselves.

* "[[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld You're young]], but you're a good knight" were Zest's words to Vita in ''Anime/StrikerS'' when she was handily stopping him from achieving his goal. Agito promptly complained to Zest about how he shouldn't be wasting his time praising his opponent.
* ''Film/{{Star Trek VI|The Undiscovered Country}}'': General Chang appreciates Kirk as a [[WorthyOpponent fellow warrior]].
* In ''{{The Mask of Zorro}}'', when Captain Love was fighting Alejandro (Zorro), he compliments him by saying "you're doing well, your brother would've shot himself by now."

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "Sokka's Master", Sokka receives several compliments about using his environment and superior agility during an intense sword fight. (With an OldMaster who's teaching him, mind you.)

* ''KimPossible'': When Kim first wears her new PostscriptSeason mission garb, Shego admits that it looks pretty good (this after mercilessly -- even by her standards -- mocking the various [[ImpossiblyTackyClothes outfits]] she'd worn earlier in the episode).
* In ''Anime/DragonBallGT'', when Goku fights Uub. His entire purpose in the fight is to gauge Uub's strength, and he is pleasantly surprised.
* It's common courtesy in FPS's to compliment an opponent on a particularly good kill. Even/especially if the one killed was you.

* Tokugawa Ieyasu praises his opponents in a friendly, chatty way as he punches the crap out of them and their mooks in ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara 3''. Makes sense, since he's actually trying to [[DefeatMeansFriendship recruit some of them into his army]] and dissuade others from the path they've chosen... through punching.

* In Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt, Jeanne compliments Parley on a "fine strike" [[http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=779 while trying to kill her]]. She's right: [[spoiler:Parley was unarmed and still reeling from an EmotionBomb, but still managed to dodge Jeanne's rapier and land a kick]]. It's especially notable in that Jeanne is a homicidal ghost empowered by centuries of [[ThePowerOfHate distilled rage and pain]] and was still vocally impressed.
* In the ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' multiplayer community, "gg" (Good Game) is the courteous way to surrender before leaving a match. "gg wp" (Good Game, Well Played) is a variant showing respect for your opponent's skill, said by the winner or loser. Several other online communities have since adopted the same shorthand.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'', [[spoiler:Qilby the Traitor]] compliments Adamai twice during their fight. He is impressed by Adamai and Grougal's tag-team attack and admits that they almost had him. When Adamai later goes OneWingedAngel in a fit of rage after Qilby knocks out Grougal, Qilby expresses admiration for Adamai's fighting spirit, calling him the pride of the Eliatrope race.

* In ''{{Claymore}}'', [[AlmightyJanitor Clare]] is fighting [[HeroKiller Rigaldo]], who had previously dismissed her as a weakling unworthy of his time and is instead focusing on killing her (allegedly) far more powerful allies. This is a mistake; Clare taps into her SuperpoweredEvilSide in a very ''specific'' manner, allowing her to gain speed that he can't match. His final word as she tears him apart? '''''Superb'''''. [[labelnote:*]]Or '''''Magnificent''''', if you're reading the official English translation. Either way, he ''emphatically'' means it.[[/labelnote]]

* In ''{{Claymore}}'', [[AlmightyJanitor Clare]] is fighting [[HeroKiller Rigaldo]], who had previously dismissed her as a weakling unworthy of his time and is instead focusing on killing her (allegedly) far more powerful allies. This is a mistake; Clare taps into her SuperpoweredEvilSide in a very ''specific'' manner, allowing her to gain speed that he can't match. His final word as she tears him apart? '''''Superb'''''.

* ''[[MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's]]'' - The rematch of [[WorthyOpponent Fate and Signum]] had both fighters pausing momentarily after a flurry of blows so that they can compliment the other's skills and the power of their [[EmpathicWeapon Device]]. Humorously, it's the Devices that give thanks, not the fighters themselves.

* ''Film/{{Star Trek VI|The Undiscovered Country}}'' - General Chang appreciates Kirk as a [[WorthyOpponent fellow warrior]].

* ''KimPossible'' - When Kim first wears her new PostscriptSeason mission garb, Shego admits that it looks pretty good (this after mercilessly -- even by her standards -- mocking the various [[ImpossiblyTackyClothes outfits]] she'd worn earlier in the episode).

* Jack Sparrow complimenting Will's form during their first duel in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl''

* In ''{{Samurai7}}'', when Kambei was fighting Kyuzo, he said "[[HoYay I'm in love]]...with your fighting style," or something like that.

* Tokugawa Ieyasu praises his opponents in a friendly, chatty way as he punches the crap out of them and their armies in ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara 3''. Makes sense, since he's actually trying to [[DefeatMeansFriendship recruit some of them into his army]] and dissuade others from the path they've chosen... through punching.

** There are also some good-natured compliments between the Man in Black and Andre the Giant during their battle.

Sometimes though one of the fighters will be genuinely complimentary to the other. Not in a sarcastic "Nice punch!" kind of way, but [[WorthyOpponent sincerely praising their opponent]]. It might be a disguised form of gloating ("You're awesome, and since I'm kicking your ass that makes me even more awesome") but the point is that they mean it.

* In Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt, Jeanne compliments Parley on a "fine strike" while attacking her. She's right: [[spoiler:Parley was unarmed and still reeling from an EmotionBomb, but still managed to dodge Jeanne's rapier and land a kick]]. It's especially notable in that Jeanne is a homicidal ghost empowered by centuries of [[ThePowerOfHate distilled rage and pain]] and was still vocally impressed.

* Tokugawa Ieyasu praises his opponents in a friendly, chatty way as he punches the crap out of them and their armies in ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara 3''. Makes sense, since he's actually trying to [[DefeatMeansFriendship recruit some of them into his army]] and dissuade others from the path they've chosen... through punching.