History Main / CrucifiedHeroShot

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Bob Parr is being held in Syndrome's secret lab. The thing is, he is held suspended in a holding unit that floats in midair, with his feet in one iron ball and his hands held out on either side in their own iron balls. [[spoiler:When he's ForcedToWatch as Syndrome tries (and thankfully fails) to have his entire family killed,]] he hangs his head in defeat [[spoiler:(neither himself nor Syndrome realizing that his murder plot failed)]]. Add that to the fact that he's supposed to be a savior of the world, being a superhero and all...

* * Inverted in an incredibly creepy manner in the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse''. [[spoiler:[[SatanicArchetype Emperor Belos]] uses his parasitic powers to crucify himself to the Titan's heart in order to take control of its power, symbolizing his HolierThanThou egotism, blasphemous hypocrisy, and obsession with convincing himself he's the hero.]] The episode in question also happened to premier the day before Easter.

* The painting ''[[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Mort_de_Bara La Mort de Bara]]'' by Jean-Joseph Weerts, depicting the (exaggerated) death of [[ChildSoldiers fourteen-year-old]] Republican volunteer Joseph Bara during UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution.
* The [[[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_of_May_1808 painting]] ''Art/TheThirdofMay1808'' by Creator/FranciscoDeGoya
* A well-known sculpture of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matija_Gubec Matija Gubec]], leader of the Croatian-Slovenian peasant revolt of 1573, by Croatian sculptor Antun Augustinčić. Gubec was executed in a particularly cruel manner, including being crowned by a crown of red-hot iron, which makes the resemblance to Jesus Christ's execution even more pronounced (Jesus was crowned with a crown of thorns).

* The painting ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_of_May_1808 The Third of May 1808]]'' by Creator/FranciscoDeGoya

* In ''Manga/NurseAngelRirikaSOS'' [[spoiler:Kanou]] gets tied to a cross in episode 14 by a villain. He ends up dying after Ririka defeats the villain, [[spoiler:though he had been SecretlyDying for several episodes anyway]].
* [[BrokenHero Oz]] [[StepfordSmiler Vessalius]] is crucified during the ''first few pages'' of ''Manga/PandoraHearts'', with somebody [[spoiler:(his father, Xai Vessalius)]] telling him that "his sin is his very existence." It's later revealed to be symbolic, as when this scene actually happens in the manga, Oz is not crucified. Many readers were confused about this, as Oz seemed to have no reason to be symbolically crucified. There's a reason...
* ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'':
** [[spoiler: Sonosuke Izayoi]] is [[https://67.media.tumblr.com/0481ce6965b6fef782cb42e9e235ee70/tumblr_obznjzUoP51vxf82qo3_1280.png seen in this position]] in the OP. For bonus, the cross is ''on fire''. [[spoiler: But [[BaitAndSwitchCredits he doesn't die that way]].]]
** [[spoiler: Seiko Kimura]]'s lifeless body [[https://67.media.tumblr.com/2db93fa6b9f4459c7aac67084a48df7a/tumblr_obznjzUoP51vxf82qo1_1280.png is found like this]], and as a bonus [[spoiler: her corpse is PinnedToTheWall.]]
* ''Manga/SuicideClub'' plays this for creepy horror. Saya and Kyoko's teacher shows Kyoko an artwork on a BBS showing Saya nearly naked and crucified, tying to the growing influence of "Mitsuko".
* ''Anime/PrincessConnectReDive'': [[spoiler:Karyl]] spends a bit over an episode in season 2 being held up in this pose by magical "marionette" strings after turning on [[spoiler:Shadow Mana]].
* The manga adaptation of ''VisualNovel/YourTurnToDie'' opens with a depiction of the first Main Game's Sacrifice, [[spoiler:Joe Tazuna]], after his death via [[CruelAndUnusualDeath being slowly exsanguinated]]. His corpse is left dangling in the air in a grotesque mockery of the Crucifixion.

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Lilith, that Angel NERV was [[CapturedSuperEntity holding captive]] in their ElaborateUndergroundBase, as well as EVA Unit 01, in the ''End of Evangelion'' [[TheMovie feature film]].
* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': It happened several times to several characters: [[TheHero Kouji]], his little brother, his friend Boss and Boss's gang... [[TheDragon Baron Ashura]] seemed loving the trope. It also happened in ''Anime/GreatMazinger''. Occasionally both series featured ''the HumongousMecha themselves'' being crucified. And in the Mazinger Z vs Devilman movie, [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Devilman}}]] himself.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'' was liberally sprinkled with shots of characters bound to crosses, from Seto Kaiba to Yami's Dark Magician. In the climax of the Waking the Dragons arc, Yami/Pharaoh pulls this pose while literally ''absorbing a monster created out of the evil thoughts and emotions of every person on the planet into his own heart in order to stop it from hurting anyone else ever again and to purify his enemy's soul.''
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'':
** In the second season, when Rubeus captures the Inner Seishi, he keeps them partially tucked inside crystal crosses.
** A rather unconventional example occurs in the R movie, in which Fiore kind of crucifies Sailor Moon (who has sacrificed herself to save her friends and the Earth), except he himself acts like the cross and holds her in place with long, tentacle-like tree roots while subjecting her to a mix of ElectricTorture, LifeDrain ''and'' a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech
** In an episode of Sailor Moon S, Hotaru is also bound to a cross and attacked by legions of demonic hands in a nightmare sequence.

* In ''Manga/{{X 1999}},'' several characters are subjected to the crucified hero shot in different circumstances, in some cases building up to a HeroicSacrifice. The most infamous example is [[spoiler: Kotori, who is 'crucified' before being horribly murdered by her brother in two of the three continuities (manga and TV series) plus the X Japan promotional video (which follows the manga.)]]
* In the opening sequence of ''[[VisualNovel/EfAFairyTaleOfTheTwo ef: A Tale of Melodies]]'', Yuu is seen in this pose, pierced by what appears to be many spears, struggling to pull out the nails that bind his hands to the wall. Only in the final version of the opening [[spoiler: in the series finale does he manage to do this.]]
* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'':
** ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesBlackAndWhite Pokémon Best Wishes]]'' Season 2 brought us Meloetta in nearly the exact same position in order to activate the Undersea Temple, this time offering herself to keep Ash from being crushed by a cube of energy Team Rocket took him prisoner in.
** And again near the end of the ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY XY]]'' series where Ash, and his Pokémon, are being held captive by Team Flare atop Lumiose Tower, and are held in this position. [[spoiler: Ash and Greninja break free using their [[SuperMode Bond Phenomenon.]].]]
* Team Plasma displays the captured gym leaders like this in the Unova arc of ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', as a way to lower the trainer’s morales.

* In ''Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries'', Dante is briefly crucified by the BigBad in the [[BonusLevelOfHell demon world]]. However, he is too badass to stay there for long.
* Parodied in ''Anime/PuniPuniPoemi'', Poemi finds her parents crucified and manages to actually knock down the crosses, leading her to repeat the shot, with über-dramatic sound effects to boot. Extra points for the scene taking place AgainstTheSettingSun.
** Nabeshin is the Messiah. He died for the sins of your transparent self-insertion fanfic.
* No fewer than three characters in ''Manga/DGrayMan'' have been crucified by the villains, although one might have just been tied up in that position, and one was nailed to a clock. General [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Yeeger]] was crucified as a message to the heroes.
** Considering [[ChurchMilitant the nature of the group they belong to]], it's probably intended as mockery.

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', when Rukia is about to be executed by the Sogyoku, she's held up in a position similar to crucifixion. And this is [[WhatdoyouMeanItsNotSymbolic just before she was to be stabbed by what used to be a spear.]]

* A common splash image of ''Manga/DeathNote'' shows Light Yagami in a messianic pose of this sort. However, he's a DarkMessiah at best.
* In an early episode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', Trowa takes on this pose for a knife-throwing stunt. In a later episode, when he attempts to self-detonate his gundam, Catherine flashes back to this scene; as it fades out, there's a brief moment where it looks as if Trowa really is crucified.
* The final episode of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' R2. Not ''strictly'' a Crucifixion, but [[spoiler: Lelouch's blood forms a sort-of bloody carpet]] as he falls down a platform with his arms open after being stabbed by [[spoiler:Suzaku (as Zero) to finish their ThanatosGambit.]] There's a red band of paint too, so double the cross imagery.
* The title character of ''Manga/VideoGirlAi'' ends up strapped in this position by cable and other video equipment [[spoiler:after being forced back into the Video world, as punishment for having fallen in love with Youta]]. The scene is so powerful and dramatic, the publisher reportedly pleaded with Masakazu Katsura to [[FetishRetardant draw some underwear on Ai]] [[FanDisservice to lessen]] the Fanservice (as she was entirely naked in the original print.) In the animated version, this is the final, climactic scene.

* After being detained by the D-Reaper, Beelzebumon is positioned this way in ''Anime/DigimonTamers''.
** Not only him, but Juri, the person Beelzebumon was trying to save, after being ''{{Mind Rape}}d'' repeatedly for several days by the D-Reaper because she [[spoiler: saw him kill her partner]], powered (probably as a converter, not a generator) the EldritchAbomination, gets the pleasure of being trapped, crushed and crucified ''twice'' with big power cables while getting (judging by her screaming) {{mind rape}}d further for another week and at the same time desperately trying to save a friend, who also gets crushed in front of her. Did I mention that the D-Reaper tries to both burn and drown her? And that she comes out of it better that when she entered? Miss badass Asuka from [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Eva]] is thrown into a coma after ''five minutes'' of similar, if not lighter treatment, even if her problems have a different source.
*** Starting with episode 34 (violent), skipping to ep's 47 (section of the mind rape), ep 49 is when both of them are crushed with glowing cables and she screams (and is possibly mind raped further), and in ep's 50 and 51 unless it was edited by the dub (like fox kids) is where the previously mentioned happens.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': The CloudCuckoolander Principal Kuno captured Akane and placed her in this predicament offscreen just to blackmail Ranma. He didn't count on Akane breaking free almost immediately and kicking him in the face.

* ''Anime/LastExile'', the last episode, Alex Rowe. Tortured to death (sort of), he ends up looking more-or-less crucified. Held in place by thorns.
* And in the sequel, ''Anime/LastExileFamTheSilverWing'', Princess Liliana is shown crucified in the OP, but whether it's symbolic or representative of a later scene isn't clear yet.
* Manga/{{Akagi}} gets subjected to one of these. It's symbolic for a game of [[MundaneMadeAwesome mahjong]].
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
** Vita in Episode 9 of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'' is suspended in mid-air in this position when she's [[spoiler:captured by the {{Mysterious Protector}}s and [[BreakTheCutie executed in front of Hayate]]]].
** Iris is shown this way during a flashback in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaDetonation'', held in place by one of Yuri's [[GreenThumb tree constructs]]. For extra levels of symbolism, she ended up in that position because she was "[[FrameUp betrayed]]" by her best friend and the next place she's chronologically seen is in a church.
* A scene in the ''Manga/DNAngel'' anime had Satoshi in a feathery transformation scene, hanging from nothing in this postion.
* One of the rare cases where it's explicitly used as ColdBloodedTorture, the Meakashi-hen chapter of ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' sees [[spoiler:Shion put Satoko up on a cross and then repeatedly stab her in the arms]]. Remind you of anything?
* At one point in the ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'' anime, Chrono charges at the BigBad but an explosion sends him flying backwards, in slow motion, with his arms outspread. When he lands on the ground, he's buried under rubble from the building he was in--including a steel, cross-shaped beam marking the spot where he's buried.
** There's also a promo art piece for the anime that shows Joshua bound to a cross, and a scene in the manga where Chrono is kept in a cross-like restraining device [[spoiler:when the Order imprisons him]].
* [[spoiler:Sora]] in ''Anime/DotHackSign'' when he [[spoiler:once again switches sides, to the good guys this time, and gets trapped by the big bad. Which he was ''not'' expecting. Things didn't go so well for him for awhile after that.]]

* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Happened to Shana at one point, but that was probably a matter of convenience for the villain in question.
* In ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords2004'', Vio is crucified and almost burned by Shadow Link after being captured.
* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' has Nia, during her captivity time at the hands of the anti-spirals.
** Briefly happens to Simon, when the Gurren Lagann is pinned to the wall by Lazengann's tendrils.
* Optimus Prime in ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' takes this pose when he intercepts the Hydra Cannon's blast, giving his own life to save Earth.

* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' likes to put characters in this pose in its openings and endings, probably just to confuse us.
* ''Anime/EurekaSeven'': Nirvash gets one in the last episode.
* Episode 11 of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' gives both Madoka and Homura one as Kyubey explains why Madoka holds such a huge potential as a magical girl or MessianicArchetype -- [[spoiler:Homura is causing Madoka to bear more misfortune as Homura keeps on trying to save Madoka in different timelines, which causes Madoka's potential as a magical girl to increase.]] This is director Creator/AkiyukiShinbo's favorite visual motif, and can be found in everything he's directed. Most prominently in ''Anime/TheSoulTaker'' and ''Manga/LePortraitDePetiteCossette''.
* ''Anime/GenesisOfAquarion'': the Shadow Angels have a thing for ''actual crucifixion''. Apollonius was nailed up twelve millennia back, and in the same episode but 12000 years on Aquarion itself gets pinned to the ground with arms outstretched. [[spoiler:In both cases, bits were torn off while getting out of said pose - Apollonius deliberately tore off his wings so he could protect Celiane, and his reincarnation ripped off Solar Aquarion's arms and used the arm components of Vector Luna as a substitute]].
* In the [[OvertookTheManga anime adaptation]] of ''Manga/BlueExorcist'', [[spoiler: Rin]] ''gets chained to a cross'' while people [[MakesSenseInContext chant about the wood of Jesus' cross]] in the background. And then they [[spoiler: almost kill him and open a portal to Gehenna]].
* In the manga of ''Manga/DeadmanWonderland'' this trope is referred to by name when the leader of [[spoiler: The Forgeries]] refers to this trope by name while crucifying Ganta on a nearby wall... bonus points: [[spoiler: the spikes used for the crucifixion are drops of blood, while the pain is really only inside Ganta's mind, as the Forgery's special power is, apparently, MindRape.]]
* In ''AudioPlay/SaintBeast'', [[spoiler:Shin]] is actually crucified by Zeus as punishment for stealing PandorasBox (in attempt to save the human world from chaos). Being an angel, he survives, [[FridgeHorror which might make it even worse]].
* In the ''Manga/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' manga, Marluxia has thorny vines hold Namine this way.
* In ''Anime/CasshernSins'', Casshern usually gets one when he allows someone to try to kill him.
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': [[spoiler:Eren in his Titan body gets framed like this sometimes, with his arms held perpendicular to his torso and above the rest of this body by the connecting nerves.]]

** In the second ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' movie, Shinji's EVA is literally pierced through its hands holding off the Eighth Angel.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':
** In ''Anime/PokemonMewtwoReturns'', Mewtwo offers himself up to Giovanni in order to save the other pokemon from being captured and brainwashed. Giovanni's machine then lifts him up and paralyzes him in what is blatantly a crucifixion position.
** ''Pokémon Best Wishes'' Season 2 brought us Meloetta in nearly the exact same position in order to activate the Undersea Temple, this time offering herself to keep Ash from being crushed by a cube of energy Team Rocket took him prisoner in.
** Ash himself does this after Mew and Mewtwo accidently Zap him with energy in [[Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie The First Movie]] before collapsing and [[spoiler: dying.]] Ironically in the [[Anime/{{Pokemon2000}} second movie]], he finds out he is the TheChosenOne.
** And again near the end of the ''XY'' series where Ash, and his Pokémon, are being held captive by Team Flare atop Lumiose Tower, and are held in this position. [[spoiler: Ash and Greninja break free using their [[SuperMode Bond Phenomenon.]].]]

* And in the sequel, ''Anime/LastExileFamTheSilverWing", Princess Liliana is shown crucified in the OP, but whether it's symbolic or representative of a later scene isn't clear yet.

* ''Anime/BelladonnaOfSadness'' ends with Jeanne being burned on a cross-shaped stake.
* Episode 11 of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' gives both Madoka and Homura one as Kyubey explains why Madoka holds such a huge potential as a magical girl or MessianicArchetype -- [[spoiler:Homura is causing Madoka to bear more misfortune as Homura keeps on trying to save Madoka in different timelines, which causes Madoka's potential as a magical girl to increase.]]
** This is director Creator/AkiyukiShinbo's favorite visual motif, and can be found in everything he's directed. Most prominently in ''Anime/TheSoulTaker'' and ''Manga/LePortraitDePetiteCossette''.
** Madoka and Homura both get crucified again in ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Rebellion]]'', in a somewhat different way. [[spoiler:In a dream sequence of some sort, Madoka spreads her arms, falls off a chair, and explodes into pink goo. In TheStinger, Homura does the same pose as she falls off a cliff. [[RuleOfSymbolism The former represents Homura's failure to save Madoka from being forced to sacrifice herself]], while the latter represents... [[MindScrew something.]]]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Bob Parr is being held in Syndrome's secret lab. The thing is, he is held suspended in a holding unit that floats in midair, with his feet in one iron ball and his hands held out on either side in their own iron balls. [[spoiler:When he's ForcedToWatch as Syndrome tries (and thankfully fails) to have his entire family killed,]] he hangs his head in defeat [[spoiler:(neither himself nor Syndrome realizing that his murder plot failed)]]. Add that to the fact that he's supposed to be a savior of the world, being a superhero and all...

* In ''Manga/TheLegendOfZelda: Four Sword Adventures'' (the manga), Vio is crucified and almost burned by Dark after his Heel Face Turn.

* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', some of the people who get caught in [[MadScientist Relius Clover's]] Astral Heat are shown in this position. Examples include Rachel (who ironically is a ''vampire''), Ragna, Azrael (who's crucified ''[[UnwillingSuspension upside down]]''), Hibiki (strapped to a mix between a clock mechanism and a breaking wheel, in a pose that reminds of crucifixion) and Noel ([[spoiler: (plus Mu-12 and Lambda]]; for worse, [[ShamefulStrip these three are nude]]).

* Right before the final boss in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou '', [[spoiler:Joshua assumes a crucifixion pose after being struck by Kitaniji's attack and is absorbed into his Noise form. Not surprising since the rest of the game depicts him as a parallel to Jesus. He also uses a crucifixion pose when performing his Jesus Beam attack.]]

* In the Sylvester Stallone gangster (not [[JiveTurkey gangsta]]) comedy ''Film/{{Oscar}}'', Stallone's character ends up feeling very fatigued with everything that's gone wrong up to that point. He sighs, leans back, and drapes his arms across the mantlepiece behind him, horizontally. There's a little bit of Christian imagery in prior scenes, too...

* In the Sylvester Stallone gangster (not [[JiveTurkey gangsta]]) comedy ''Theatre/{{Oscar}}'', Stallone's character ends up feeling very fatigued with everything that's gone wrong up to that point. He sighs, leans back, and drapes his arms across the mantlepiece behind him, horizontally. There's a little bit of Christian imagery in prior scenes, too...

* [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 The Sniper]] is seen posing like a crucifix at the end of the Machinima/TeamServiceAnnouncement ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goxMPk4_fJQ Cooperative Engineering]]''. [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment This has no relevance to the rest of the video whatsoever]].

* In Megan Kearney's ''Beauty and the Beast'', while his arms aren't outstretched, the image of [[spoiler: the Beast's limp body tied by briars to the spire of the enchanted fountain]] does evoke this trope. Fitting, since [[spoiler: he sacrificed himself to the magic in exchange for Beauty's freedom.]]

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'' was liberally sprinkled with shots of characters bound to crosses, from Seto Kaiba to Yami's Dark Magician. It's taken UpToEleven in the climax of the Waking the Dragons arc, when Yami/Pharaoh pulls this pose while literally ''absorbing a monster created out of the evil thoughts and emotions of every person on the planet into his own heart in order to stop it from hurting anyone else ever again and to purify his enemy's soul.''

* The artwork for Music/{{Eminem}}'s single "Rap God" shows the rapper from behind striking this pose. In his live performance of the song for the 2013 Website/YouTube Music Awards, he recreated the shot by performing, facing away from the crowd, against a white backdrop.

* ''Film/ManOfSteel'' continues the Superman tradition,
** A shirtless Clark floats underwater with his arms extended, after the oil rig he's on collapses.
** On leaving the Kryptonian ship, he floats out through a hole in the wall in this pose.

** In the ''Film/UltramanMebiusAndTheUltraBrothers'' movie, Ultraman, Ultraseven, Ultraman Jack, and Ultraman Ace are imprisoned in crystal crucfixes by Alien Guts and Nackle to drain their energy to revive an insanely powerful monster. Seven's original crucifixion wuld later be homaged in the series itself when the icy alien Grozam froze Mebius in a cross form for future execution.

* Sgt. Elias in ''Film/{{Platoon}}''. This has since become the most iconic image of the film, and so it rather builds up audience expectations (The closing narration doesn't help). The shot is an homage to the [[https://i.imgur.com/731IsoQ.png famous 1968 photograph by Art Greenspon]]. Elias is also this page's former ImageSource.

* Brian Bolland's cover for ''Comicbook/AnimalMan'' #5 (written by Creator/GrantMorrison). The story inside? The ''Coyote Gospel.''

* Mediocre CrisisCrossover ''Marvel: The End'' had its bad guy, the very difficult name to remember [[UnreliableNarrator Ankhatamanatotep]] or something, energy blast an assembly of superheroes and proceeded to put them on floating crosses around New York city.

* Franchise/XMen:

** Angel on the cover of X-men 169. The Morlocks had him crucified for most of the book.

** The graphic novel ''X-Men: Season One'', which modernizes some of the team's earliest adventures features Magneto pinning Professor X to the wall of his study in this pose, held in place by the metal of his wheelchair, and with Magneto's helmet on Xavier's head to prevent him from using his powers.
* Franchise/{{Superman}}'s first appearance in ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' is obviously an homage to the cover of ''Superman'' #1, but it's also a bit of a Crucified Hero Shot, especially if you note the nails in his pocket. WordOfGod from Creator/AlexRoss is that this was intentional.
* In ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' story ''Comicbook/DemonSpawn'', Kara assumes this position when her enemy Nightflame places her in an unholy light pentagram. In another 1970's story, the titular heroine is captured by a tribe of birdmen and bound to a cross.
* The classic Franchise/GreenLantern[=/=]ComicBook/GreenArrow #89 features an [[GreenAesop environmental activist]] named [[MessianicArchetype Joshua]] who is trying to stop an [[EvilInc evil corporation]]. And just in case that's [[{{Anvilicious}} too subtle]], '''[[http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/image_cover/GreenLantern_Arrow_Jesus.jpg this]]''' is the cover.

* ''Comicbook/TheInvisibles'' has plenty of these, but a particularly significant one occurs when Dane [=McGowan=] (aka "Jack Frost") is floating in space during his "alien abduction" (contact w/Barbelith). A disembodied voice comments that this imagery was chosen for Dane because of his lapsed-Catholic background.
* Jon Osterman has this pose as he is being disintegrated in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', then pulls a similar pose when reborn as Dr. Manhattan.
* In Comicbook/DoctorStrange's first confrontation with Shuma-Gorath, the EldritchAbomination was attempting to enter the world through the mind of the Ancient One, Strange's teacher in magic. Shuma showed Strange that his master was picturing him hanging with his arms outstretched, as a sign that he thought Strange would be killed.
* Toys/{{Bionicle}}: In the infamous [[spoiler:Matoro Death scene, the hero assumes this pose temporarily]].

-->'''Quasimodo''': Sanctuary!! Sanctuary!! Sanctuary!!

* In ''Film/GranTorino'', [[spoiler: Walt lands on the ground in this position after he is shot to death by the Hmong gang.]]

* Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe) in ''Film/{{Platoon}}''. This has since become the most iconic image of the film, and so it rather builds up audience expectations (The closing narration doesn't help). The shot is an homage to the [[https://i.imgur.com/731IsoQ.png famous 1968 photograph by Art Greenspon]]. Elias is also this page's former ImageSource.
* ''Film/TropicThunder'' takes the pee out of the the famous ''Platoon'' scene. The hero of the fictitious UsefulNotes/VietnamWar movie gets shot while maintaining the pose for an absurdly long time. The scene is later echoed when the actor playing the hero [[spoiler: has to run from an angry mob.]]

* For some completely inexplicable reason, the villain Bullseye gets this in the movie ''Film/{{Daredevil}}''. It comes complete with wounds on the hands that resemble stigmata, and the entire fight scene [[BloodstainedGlassWindows takes place in a church]].
** He's Irish, isn't he? To Brits, that tends to imply Catholicism -- not sure if the director was aware of that.
* In ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer'', this is the Silver Surfer's pose during [[spoiler: the sacrifice made to defeat (or possibly repel) Galactus]].

* A villainous version happens with ''Film/{{Carrie}}'''s mother who, [[spoiler: in her [[ItWasHisSled final scene]],]] was impaled against a doorframe in a picture-perfect imitation of the Christ-on-the-Cross that she locked Carrie in with at her first period. Kind of a subversion, as the statue in the closet was actually Saint Sebastian (note the arrows), not Jesus Christ.
* At the end of ''Film/GranTorino'', Walter ends up lying on the ground in a crucified position after [[spoiler: tricking the gang that had raped Sue into gunning him down]], really cementing how much of a martyr he was supposed to be.

* In ''Literature/TheDayOfTheLocust'', Homer Simpson (Creator/DonaldSutherland) briefly adopts this pose during the scene where the mob is attacking him.

* ''Film/TheLawnmowerMan'' had this; Pierce Brosnan's character shows up in cyberspace, and Job first says "I am God here", and then handwaves Brosnan's avatar into a crucifixion pose. [[TakeThat Rather a pity they couldn't have done the same to the film's director.]]

* [[spoiler: Max California]] dies this way in ''Film/EightMM'', after being shot to death with a crossbow while strapped to a torture rack.

** ''Film/XMenFirstClass'': Inverted. This happens twice, once to Emma Frost and again with Sebastian Shaw, and neither of them are heroes.

* Officer Murphy aka ''Franchise/{{Robocop}}'' gets actually ''quite'' a few shots.

* [[spoiler: Celia]]'s corpse floating in a flooded subway station at the end of ''Film/{{Atonement}}''.

* Creator/TomCruise does this during the climbing scene - i.e. ''the first sequence'' - of ''Film/MissionImpossibleII''. Afterwards the main character Ethan Hunt becomes an unstoppable demigod rather than the secret agent he was in the first movie. It's not surprising the second movie is also the less valued in the series.
* At the end of ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', [[spoiler: Tony gets one of these as he falls helplessly with his arms outstretched, unconscious and with his suit out of power, after sacrificing himself to save New York by flying a nuke into space.]]
* In ''Film/{{Scream 2}}'', Derek is tied up, and later killed, in this position.
* Subverted in ''Film/TheMist'', as [[spoiler: Mrs. Carmody]] ends up shot in the head and falls to the floor, arms outstretched. Bonus points for the "halo" of blood.[[note]]In all fairness, she was ''trying'' to be some kind of hero, or at least save herself and her flock. Not quite her fault that she was out of her mind.[[/note]]

* Even Hannibal Lecter gets in on the action in ''Film/{{Hannibal}}'' when captured by Mason Verger and about to be fed to his pigs, he's strapped to a gurney in this pose.
* ''Film/PacificRim'': [[spoiler: Gipsy Danger does this just before it blows up the Breach]]

** Inverted in ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart2'', as it happened to a villain. [[spoiler:President Coin's arms are positioned this way after giving a theatrical speech when Katniss shot her]].

* In ''Film/{{Hick}}'' after [[Creator/ChloeGraceMoretz Luli]] is [[spoiler: raped[[note]] symbolically, speared? [[/note]] [[DiscretionShot offscreen]] by Eddie the next scene cuts to her tied to a bed in a crucifixion pose, waiting to be raped again]]: metaphorically crucified for the sin of man. She is [[spoiler: tied to the bed]] quite differently in the book, so the change must be a deliberate visual metaphor.

* ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'': Female version; Just before Diana hits [[spoiler:Ares with the lightening bolt(s)]], she hovers above the airfield wreckage. (It is unclear whether she is actually flying or just at the apogee of her leap.)

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}}'' one of the ChurchMilitant Clerics is chained to a pillar this way, with a stripe on the pillar extending from the feet, in case the viewer missed the symbolism.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' episode "The Fear" (aka the first animated depiction of Batman's DarkAndTroubledPast), Scarecrow captures Robin and Wonder Woman and stages an HostageSituation. When Batman arrives to rescue them, Robin is tied up to a cross with his arms bound behind the shorter post (but Wondy averts it since her hands are tied up together, probably since it'd be easier for her to get free if "crucified").

* Music/MichaelJackson loved posing with Christ-style outstretched arms as far back as the ''Bad'' tour and his live performances of "Man in the Mirror", as seen in ''Film/{{Moonwalker}}''. Presumably this was for FauxSymbolism purposes, but then there's his performance of "Earth Song" at the 1996 [=BRIT=] Awards, which has a drawn-out ending in which he strips off his costume to reveal he's wearing all-white underneath and strikes this pose, while most of the once-suffering chorus of kids and adults around him lose their rags in favor of pretty duds, and embraces and kisses him in turn. He even kisses a rabbi's forehead. When [[Music/{{Pulp}} Jarvis Cocker]] decided to crash the stage (albeit earlier in the number) during the live broadcast, he got arrested for it, but only Jackson and his fans were unwilling to concede that it was ActuallyPrettyFunny, given what Jackson was up to.