History Main / DefiantCaptive

** ''Film/ANewHope'': Princess Leia did what she could to keep the secret of the rebel base; standing up to Darth Vader and resisting a mind probe. [[spoiler:Too bad Alderaan was blown up despite her efforts.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAndMisterFreezeSubZero'' Barbara Gordon talks back to Mr. Freeze when he kidnaps her, attacks him with the same chains she's shackled with, tries to reason with him once she learns about his IllGirl wife Nora (so she'll be able to help him save her ''without losing her organs'' ([[spoiler: and later it turns out a properly done blood transfusion is enough]]), saves his KidSidekick, tries to save ''him'' too...

Let's say Alice has been captured, but instead of docilely doing what she's told, she resists attempts to control her. She may [[TalkingYourWayOut attempt to reason with her captor]] or [[HannibalLecture play mindgames from her cell.]] If they explain ThePlan behind her kidnapping, [[KirkSummation she'll point out everything wrong with it.]] At most passive, she'll engage in PassiveAggressiveKombat or a [[ImNotHungry hunger strike]]. At her most active, she'll try to escape. Whether or not she succeeds is irrelevant; the point is that she's doing all she can to make life difficult for her captor in spite of the situation.

Despite the female pronouns used in the description, this is a gender neutral trope.

** ''[[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Volume 1]]'': When Uvo has Steve and Diana trapped and helpless by their being stuck to a Magnetic Glazite wall, he and his men walk up with guns drawn telling them to give up. As Diana had managed to keep her legs from touching the wall this approach is ill considered and she manages to kick one into the others and knock four of them down while saying an Amazon never gives up.

** ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'': John has been running around killing bad guys, but they have his daughter, and put her on the radio to beg her father to give up. Instead she says "Now there are only five of them" before they can yank the radio away, giving him some much-needed intel. When she defiantly challenges the villain to fight her one on one without any restraints, he remarks that she and John are [[BadassFamily definitely related]].

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Despite being fourteeen years old, Oscar understands the importance of keeping silent when in enemy hands. When captured and interrogated by [[BigBad Salem]], he angers her by responding to her surprise at his youth with sarcasm. [[spoiler:When she asks him for the [[GenieInABottle lamp's password]], he lies and refuses to cooperate even after she tortures him with magic. She leaves him with [[TrappedInVillainy Hazel]], who vents his hatred of [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar's predecessor, Ozpin]], through physical beatings. Although bloodied, bruised and holding his ribs in pain, Oscar not only refuses to cave but even starts undermining Salem by turning her subordinates against her. With Hazel and Emerald's help, he is able to escape by injuring her so decisively that it takes her hours to [[CompleteImmortality regenerate]], allowing the heroes to evacuate an entire kingdom's worth of people to safety before she can return.]]

!!Examples
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[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Happened in the 2003 version of ''Anime/AstroBoy'' in the episode "Reviving Jumbo"; Astro's teacher, Miss Miyoki, gets kidnapped by Skunk's goons when they plan to use the titular giant robot to break him out of prison, and even BoundAndGagged, gives them quite a hard time of it.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Rukia's captivity began with her behaving aggressively towards Renji and smack-talking Ichigo when he came to rescue her. However, as her captivity draws on, she becomes more withdrawn and depressed and moves away from this trope completely, eventually resulting in her having a complete breakdown when Gin tricks her into believing he wants to rescue her.
** Orihime also initially dealt boldly with captivity. She was able to talk down her Hollowfied older brother, stand up for herself and Tatsuki to Numb Chandelier and biting the 11th Division 10th seat when he tries to carry her away to his squad's barracks. This culminates her trying to outlast her captivity with the Arrancars by passively-aggressively accepting Ulquiorra's threats. However, as her captivity draws on, physical and emotional abuse against her begins to escalate and the abuse her friends undergo trying to save her gets worse, eventually culminating with her complete breakdown when Ulquiorra's threat level forces Ichigo into a monstrous form to try and save her.
* Kallen from ''Anime/CodeGeass'' resists Suzaku's attempts at forcing Zero's identity out of her when she's held captive, even when [[WeHaveWaysOfMakingYouTalk he threatens to inject her with]] [[FantasticDrug Refrain]].
* Tsurugi Kyousuke from ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven''.
** In season 3 of GO, he is captured by enemy's planet and forced to marry their queen. He immediately refuses the offer right in front of the queen's face. [[spoiler:Until he finds out the queen is not the BigBad, and eventually agrees to help her saving her doomed planet.]]
** In the first series (game only event), he is also taken away by SEED members from Academy Kaiou to receive his punishment for his betrayal. He shows the exact defiant to his captors.
* Kagome Higurashi from ''Manga/InuYasha'' would find herself in captivity rather often in the earlier arcs, having not been trained in martial arts before she got TrappedInAnotherWorld. Nonetheless, she still managed to help Inuyasha out a lot and even talked back at her captors frequently. Then she TookALevelInBadass.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'': Relena, oh Relena Peacecraft. Sure, she can't fight as well as other girls, but she can talk her way out wonderfully and pulls more than one GoThroughMe to defend her friends, her Kingdom, or her beliefs. She does this again in TheMovie where she steals the villain's communications in order to encourage the {{Muggles}} to stop HoldingOutForAHero and do something themselves.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Monkey D. Luffy and Eustass Kid are very defiant while imprisoned by Kaido in Wano. They talk back to the wardens and even attack them in self defense, or in Luffy's case to defend an old man he befriended. They do this even under the threat of bein dismembered or executed.
** During the same arc, Nami falls foul of Ulti, one of Kaido's strongest fighters. While Nami has no qualms to beg to save her life, she will not insult Luffy her captain, in order to be spared. She defiantly tells Ulti to her face that Luffy will definitely become Pirate King, infuriating the other woman.
* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'': LittleMissBadass Miyuki Chitose is used as a hostage to force a [[BadassInDistress recovering Tezuka]] into a hopeless tennis match with some arrogant Jerkasses. She decides to yell at her captors and challenge ''them'' to a match, despite suffering from the yips herself.
-->'''Miyuki:''' Let go of me, you gorilla!
* Kaoru Kamiya from ''Manga/RurouniKenshin''. She talks back to Jin-e when he abducts her, later [[spoiler:manages to undo her soon-to-be CruelAndUnusualDeath by paralysis when it seems that Kenshin will fully unleash his SuperpoweredEvilSide and break his ThouShallNotKill vow solely to save her]]. Also, she does her best to handle herself when kidnapped by [[spoiler:Enishi]].
* Iwai from ''Anime/TheSeveringCrimeEdge'' is captured by the student council president of her school's high-school division. They torture her, but all she does is glare at them with eyes that say "I will not break". Unfortunately this defiance doesn't last very long once they use her love against her.
* Asuna from ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' pretends to be cowed and helpless, just long enough to memorize her cell's passcode. The moment she has a chance, she breaks out and tries to find a control panel from which she can log out. Even when she's caught and nearly molested she manages to get and hide a card that grants admin status.
* Nia Teppelin of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' will tell you she's not going to die. To your face. While you're shoving a pistol into her forehead. Or about to snap her in half with your claws. Or about to dematerialize her. She may not be able to fight you, but she ''will'' tell you to fuck off ([[{{Keigo}} very politely]]), because Simon's on his way, and that's a wave of pain you don't want to happen.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/BlackCrayons'' series:
** [[spoiler: While captured by Laserbeak and Starscream, [[PluckyGirl Annabelle Lennox]] takes advantage of Starscream's ego to convince him to get another Decepticon to watch her. When Starscream gets Barricade to watch Annabelle, the girl convinces Barricade to let her go so that he will not suffer [[PapaWolf Iron]][[TriggerHappy hide's]] wrath.]]
** [[spoiler: [[ActionGirl Mikaela Banes]] is captured by [[EvilCounterpart Soundwave and Dylan Gould]] and spends her time either trying to figure out how to escape or thinking about killing Dylan.]]
* In ''Fanfic/DarkDarkOceanDark'', Jasper tries to reason with Lapis and even tries to escape, though Lapis won't let her leave the house.
* In ''Fanfic/HopeForTheHeartless'', months after the events of ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'', the resurrected [[VillainProtagonist Horned King's]] revenge on Taran is interrupted for a moment, but to ensure that the boy won't escape, the lich takes Princess Eilonwy [[IHaveYourWife as a hostage]]. During the short hostage situation, the lich can't remember anyone in his thousand years lasting existence protesting against him like the princess does.
* In the ''Literature/LordOfTheRings'' fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Left}}'', Frodo tries to withhold information about his homeland and identity, and when the orcs mention Sam, Frodo clams up entirely for fear of betraying him. He also mentions to the orcs threatening him that Sauron won't be happy if he's killed just yet.
* In ''Fanfic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', both Roll and Kalinka are this when captive, as they try to impede Wily's plans or talk his robots down.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/32397421/chapters/80323648 Patron of the Art of War]]'' having been captured by Thrawn to "protect" her for her artistic abilities, Sabine is only semi compliant to his demands only after he threats to remove her eyes after her first act of defiance. She makes several defiant gestures throughout the story making it clear that Thrawn can't tame her. She even goes as far as to make an attempt to burn down Thrawn's exhibition down when ''[[spoiler:Vader and the Emperor]]'' show up. When that fails she makes a BadassBoast much to the [[spoiler:Emperor's]] amusement.
* In ''Fanfic/TheVow'', the pacifistic Lady [[SilkHidingSteel Lianne]] makes brave efforts to undermine with words her captors, first a group of bandits and years later her former fiancé [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda Lord Shen]].
* In ''Fanfic/ThisBites'' Nami is kept prisoner by Shiki. She refuses to be cowed and constantly undermines and humiliates him with the whole world as her audience, courtesy of vidsnails.
* The female Marine Lieutenant kidnapped and kept captive by Eustass Kidd in the ''Manga/OnePiece'' ''Fanfic/AbyssCronicaCaptive'' only has snark and sarcasm for the infamously sadistic, cruel Worst Generation Pirate Captain that has her in his non existent mercy. Her spirit and gumption however impresses Kidd to the point he ends up falling in love with her.
* In a sidestory of ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', Yellow gets kidnapped by a Team Rocket cell in the Sevii Islands to use as bait for Red in order to steal his Pokémon. Rather than panicking or crying, she talks back to her captors assuring them they won't get away with kidnapping her, and [[DamselOutOfDistress even manages to break out]] with the help of a Rattata she befriended.
* ''Fanfic/MissingSherlockHolmes'': Watson uses every opportunity he has to attempt an escape from the gang holding him, and ultimately gets his hands on one of their guns during the last struggle.
* [[WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries Varian]] in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24595840/chapters/59422747 Light of the Moon]]'' fully understands that he is [[EvilMatriarch Mother Gothel's]] captive, but he doesn't let that stop him from [[DeadpanSnarker snarking]] at her and encouraging Rapunzel's adventurous and free-spirited attitude every chance he gets.
* ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' fics:
** Simon is this in “[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5502176/1/ Freedom to the Free]]”. He resists every chance he gets, but keeps being forced to comply because of SexualExtortion and IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure threats. His snark and backtalk tendency gets him put into something called a [[https://youtu.be/T7lGsWO5R10 scold’s bridle]] for three nights at one point along with the owner beating him up.
** In “[[http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=4744 Of Softness and Steel 3]]” Wash isn’t very compliant when pirates take over ''Serenity''. He covertly puts the ship on a crash course and later taunts the captors on how they won’t be able to fly it if they kill him. He also keeps telling Kaylee not to open the engine room door even after he’s shot in the foot.
* Author [[https://m.fanfiction.net/u/1309907/ CaroJune]] has several ''Franchise/StarWars'' fics where Han Solo is good at this. He keeps mouthing off to the captors and sometimes outright attacking when Leia gets threatened. It tends to get him cold cocked for his trouble.
* [[LightNovel/SwordArtOnline Asuna]] in ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' is a even better example of this than in the Anime & Manga folder. She gave a SpitefulSpit to Sugou and [[TheDreaded earned a terrible reputation]] among Sugou's scientists and guards by [[ImAHumanitarian eating them]], to the point that some of them take their leave ''just to avoid her rampage'', and it's more than implied that she escaped her "[[CardboardPrison cage]]" multiple times. The only reason she is still a captive is because of Sugou's admin privileges.
* ''[[Fanfic/PatternsOfThePast Patterns of the Past]]'' has Old Missie be a defiant captive before she's even kidnapped. She is a CurbStompCushion against the Patternista, putting up a fight to such an extent that her office is a complete disaster area when Olesya and Ogden come across it, and despite being BoundAndGagged Olesya can tell she's got a lot of fight left in her by the look in her eyes. When she is free of her confines thanks to Ogden's stealth abilities, the first thing she does is [[ChairmanOfTheBrawl hurl the chair she was bound to directly at the Patternista,]] who dodges just in the nick of time.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Several Controllers in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' are continually taunted by their hosts, the most effective perhaps being [[spoiler:Visser Four's host, an actor who continuously recites Shakespeare's ''Henry V'' in his head, driving the Visser so mad that his first stop after getting hold of a time machine is to go back in time and murder Henry]].
* Jerin of ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' is this when he is captured, using various strategies, trying to manipulate his kidnappers into thinking he's helpless and childlike is one of them. Cira, [[spoiler:captured along with him]] is this, too, but is also a BadassInDistress.
* ''Literature/ClockpunkAndTheVitalizer'': Dolores "Clockpunk" Garza. Sure, she spends much of her captive time sitting around or watching TV while being understandably unsettled by The Vitalizer, but she also [[spoiler:strings her "Bull" lie along as long as possible and affords herself a means of retribution and escape at the end of it]].
* ''Literature/CodexAlera'': Isana, having been kidnapped by the [[BigBad Vord Queen]] and [[DragonWithAnAgenda Invidia]], proceeds to play them off against each other, nearly getting Invidia killed, without so much as a single lie.
* Clara from ''Literature/DarkOnesMistress'' refuses to become her lord's mistress, making several escape attempts before succeeding. A 'failure' of sorts in that she finds nowhere to go afterwards and returns, goes back but with the understanding that it is a temporary measure and he will allow her to leave.
* ''Literature/TheDreamsideRoad'':
** Sheriff Webster actively resists her captors and tries to spread the word about [[spoiler:Tucker’s plot with the Liberty Corps.]]
** Many of the Nimauk townsfolk and Wintertide Festival captives qualify, but special mention has to go to [[spoiler:Georgie Lawson,]] a retired public servant who escapes and rallies supportive law enforcement.
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': Murphy plays around with this trope. When ever she's in trouble/captured (which is rare) she sends Harry a message that she's playing the part, and not actually cowed. Harry has a chivalrous rush-to-women's defense impulse.
* In the epilogue for ''Literature/JuliusZebra: Bundle with the Britons!'', [[spoiler:Julius's mother is chained to a training pole back in Rome after she refuses to train to become a gladiator. She demands to Victorious that she be freed or she will kick him.]]
* While kidnapped, Staś from ''Literature/InDesertAndWilderness'' seems to spend every other minute making escape plans. The rest of his time is devoted to caring for his [[TheCutie companion]].
* ''Literature/NightfallSeries'': Myra is one at first, disrespecting her vampire captives and refusing to give them what they want. When this leads to more trouble, she pretends to be cowed and learns more subtle ways to manipulate her captors. Once her position in court is firmer, she becomes defiant once again.
* ''Literature/ThePillarsOfTheEarth'': Aliena. There's plenty of distress for this damsel, especially at the hands of the likes of William Hamleigh, but she fights back. She builds her own successful business from nothing.
* In ''Literature/TheRamayana'', throughout all the year she's imprisoned at Ravana's palace, Sita refuses to show the slightest hint of fear towards Ravana (which is quite impressive, given that he's a multi-headed demon who constantly yells at and threatens her), takes every opportunity she can to tell him that what he's doing is wrong and he will get punished for it, and eats only the bare minimum of all the fancy food he offers her necessary to stay alive. Rama later comments that Sita's integrity [[BreakTheHaughty broke Ravana's spirit]] just as much as the actual war fought to rescue her: he'd finally found someone he couldn't tempt or intimidate.
* ''Literature/RuslanAndLudmila'': Ludmila successfully trolls Chernomor and his servants during her time in captivity. It's partly thanks to Chernomor being so Laughably Evil that she can't get properly scared.
* ''Literature/TheSagaOfRagnarLodbrok'': Captured by the Northumbrians, Ragnar refuses to tell Aella who he is, or indeed speak to him at all. Even when Aella has him thrown into a snake pit to make him talk, Ragnar continues to ignore him.
* In ''Literature/TheSorcerersDaughter'', Odette gets kidnapped [[spoiler:twice]], and [[spoiler:both times]] she isn’t afraid to show the kidnapper her spirit is far from broken – in different ways, ranging from SnarkToSnarkCombat to physical attack. It says a lot about her, considering that [[spoiler:each kidnapper (at least at the moment when she is held captive)]] is a powerful sorcerer.
* In ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms'', this is the usual way of the DamselInDistress or DistressedDude. (Hey, it may be a Traditional role, but they don't have to ''like'' it.)
* In Creator/PoulAnderson's "Literature/TimeLag", Elva's position as prisoner does not prevent her from weaseling concessions out of Bors, and at the end, she [[spoiler:casually orders them to take Bors into the corridors and shoot him]].

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In ''Series/AnneWithAnE'', Ka'Kwet is sent to a residential school. While she did ostensibly consent to go, she didn't know what it would be like and becomes a captive when she is not allowed to leave. The nuns cut her hair, change her name, and attempt to forcibly convert her to Christianity. Ka'Kwet staunchly refuses to give up her Mi'kmaq identity. The nuns then attempt to control her with physical abuse.
* In the ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'' episode, "Death at Dawn," a gang leader kidnaps Ben Cartwright and threatens to kill him if a condemned minion is not let go. To the leader's frustration, Ben refuses to cooperate and applauds his sons', especially Adam, refusal to cooperate and let the SmugSnake murderer go.
* PlayedForLaughs on ''Series/HogansHeroes'' with Crittenden. While it is the duty of a POW to try to escape (which Hogan constantly reminds Klink, and an occasional method of diverting attention from his operations is simulating he's planning an escape), Crittenden diverts all the efforts of the camp at doing so every time he's there, even though his "escape plans" are absolutely atrocious and constantly endanger exposition of Hogan's operations.
* ''Series/OnceUponATimeInWonderland'': Cyrus is a genie waiting in a silver cage for Alice to rescue him, but he also gives his enemies plenty of sass and outwits them on a number of occasions (such as tricking them into sending a monster after Alice that he ''knows'' she can handle).
* ''Series/TheOrville'': In the Season 1 episode "If the Stars Should Appear", despite being captured and tortured, Commander Grayson never runs short on snark.
-->'''Hamelac''': Where are your friends?\\
'''Kelly''': Well, last time I saw them, one of them was [[YourMom banging your mom]] and the other was high-fiving him.\\
''(One of Hamelac's goons punches Kelly hard in the face. Again.)''\\
'''Hamelac''': [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Where. Are. Your. Friends?]]\\
'''Kelly''': Okay. I'll tell you. There's a little coffee shop, on Lafayette Street in Soho, called Central Perk. My Series/{{Friends}} are there. Just, please... don't hurt the monkey.
* ''Series/Supergirl2015'': It's revealed in Season 3 that J'onn's father is still alive, having been kept in a prison camp for two centuries, with the White Martians using all manner of means to try to break him in order to reveal the location of the [[AmplifierArtifact Staff of K'rel]]. Ironically, it's J'onn bringing his father to their old home that ends up breaking him, by reminding him of what he lost.
* ''Series/TheWheelOfTime'': When held captive by Eamon Valda, Egwene is defiant to his face despite being clearly terrified in the situation (with good reason as he's set on torturing and murdering the pair). Nynaeve says of Egwene that she will never give in, and she's right.

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* ''Roleplay/HonorableHogwarts'': A case could be made for Madeline Frost although she's only successfully been kidnapped once. One of her kidnappers suffered a compound fracture of the leg before she was finally subdued, and then she told off the BigBad who had orchestrated the kidnapping without showing any fear.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'''s "Battle of Forlì" DLC, Caterina Sforza's captured daughter Bianca spends her time mocking her captors. She's ''ten years old''.
-->'''Bianca:''' Is this all the men you have to hold me? ''Stolti'' (Fools). It won't be enough. My mamma is fierce. We Sforza women are no wilting flowers! We may look pretty to the eye, but the eyes ''deceive!'' Just ask ''babbo'' (Father). I hope you don't really imagine I'm ''scared'' of you. You'd be very mistaken. My mamma would never let you hurt me. ''And'', if you touch one hair on my little brother's head, she will hunt you down and eat you for ''breakfast!'' ''Capito'' (Understood)? This is absurd, you know. You'll never survive this. I'll be home in an hour! So, you're basically just wasting your time and mine! I'm getting ''bored!'' Don't you have anything to do, while I wait for you to ''die?!''
** Her nine-year-old brother, by contrast, just cried for his mother. And complained that he had to pee.
* ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'':
** ''[[VideoGame/TheClueFindersReadingAdventuresAges912MysteryOfTheMissingAmulet Reading Adventures]]'' features NonActionGuy Santiago and BadassBookworm Leslie as this trope when captured by said game's villain. Interestingly, Santiago, the one who has never shown any combat abilities, is the more vocal of the pair.
** In the earlier ''[[VideoGame/TheClueFinders5thGradeAdventuresTheSecretOfTheLivingVolcano 5th Grade Adventures]]'', team leader [[FieryRedhead Joni]] does this briefly when she and Santiago get captured by the aliens behind everything, demanding that their unseen captors release them.
* The titular PlayerCharacter of ''VideoGame/{{Guenevere}}'' can choose to spin her captivity in Book II this way. Whether or not she does, her fellow captive Morgana certainly makes a pain of herself to their captors. [[spoiler:And at least one of them will have escaped by the midpoint of Book II.]]
* The main character in ''VisualNovel/IkemenSengoku'' is this whenever she gets kidnapped, actively resisting her captors' attempts to break her spirit and trying to find ways to escape on her own before her love interest shows up to rescue her. Sometimes she even helps her more fight-capable love interest defeat the enemy who's holding her hostage, like breaking free from Kennyo's grip on her own and running back to the Oda forces to warn them about his ambush in Nobunaga's route or using her self-defense lessons to incapacitate the BigBad at the most opportune moment in Mitsuhide's Romantic route.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda:'' When the Archon captures the other Ryder sibling, during the final battle, they spend their time either doing what they can to interfere with his scheme or just insulting him.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Robopon}}'', when kidnapped by her own father, Lisa instructs Cody to find bombs and blow up his tower.
* In a twist on her usual DamselInDistress role, ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' has Princess Peach attempting to escape Bowser's clutches on her own, even fighting a group of Goombas with just her parasol. She ultimately fails, becoming trapped in a more secure cage in time for Mario's final battle with Bowser, but it's a surprising effort coming from her.
* ''VideoGame/VagrantStory'': Callo Merlose is kidnapped just before the first boss, and remains captive for the entire game; since she's there to investigate the antagonists anyway, she takes advantage of this situation to learn as much as she can. On one occasion she almost reverses the power balance between herself and her captor. Heck, when she's first kidnapped, she straight up ''tells'' Ashley to stay on task and not bother about rescuing her!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Despite being fourteeen years old, Oscar understands the importance of keeping silent when in enemy hands. When captured and interrogated by [[BigBad Salem]], he angers her by responding to her surprise at his youth with sarcasm. [[spoiler:When she asks him for the [[GenieInABottle lamp's password]], he lies and refuses to cooperate even after she tortures him with magic. She leaves him with [[TrappedInVillainy Hazel]], who vents his hatred of [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar's predecessor, Ozpin]], through physical beatings. Although bloodied, bruised and holding his ribs in pain, Oscar not only refuses to cave but even starts undermining Salem by turning her subordinates against her. With Hazel and Emerald's help, he is able to escape by injuring her so decisively that it takes her hours to [[CompleteImmortality regenerate]], allowing the heroes to evacuate an entire kingdom's worth of people to safety before she can return.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Elliot gets captured by Damien. While tied up he engages in PassiveAggressiveKombat by snarking about Damien's [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-04 fire-based power]], [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-08 makes pop culture references]] and [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-11 lies]] when questioned, and [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-09 continually tries to escape]].
* Billy Thatcher in ''Webcomic/{{morphE}}''. He spends every moment of his time in Amical's manor trying to get one over on his host/captor, whether it be in attempts to escape or lash out at the man responsible for his imprisonment. After setting fire to one of Amical's beloved paintings he was shot for his efforts and immediately went on to fight for his freedom in a game of wits while bleeding out.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* A couple in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
** Katara when Zuko captures her in ''The Waterbending Scroll''. He attempts to locate Aang by interrogating her, but she simply tells him to go jump in the river.
** During Aang’s imprisonment in Zhao’s fortress, he blows a gust of wind at Zhao after the man gleefully told Aang that he will be kept alive only to spare the Fire Nation another arduous search for the Avatar.
** When Toph is captured by Xin Fu (the first time), she demands that he let her out so that she can wipe that smug smile off his face.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'':
** Dana Tan; the few times she's a DamselInDistress for more than a minute, she fights back. When kidnapped by a StalkerWithACrush, she tricks him into leaving her alone and tries to escape through the sewers. When Batman is overcome by giant rats while rescuing her, she [[ImprovisedWeapon creates a torch out of flotsam lying around]] and successfully drives the rats off of him. In TheMovie, she almost gets away from the Joker who grabs her; unfortunately, she gives him so much trouble [[spoiler:that instead of kidnapping her, he tries to kill her by throwing off the balcony]].
** [[GirlFriday Max Gibson]] is no slouch, either; on one occasion, she talked her captor into making a HeelFaceTurn. In another, she overpowered her guards, tried to escape, and called out her captor for being crazy.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989'' cartoon, a few episodes have Zelda get captured by Ganon and tied to a stalagmite. This doesn't stop her from mouthing off to Ganon, not to mention kicking or even biting if he gets too close.
-->'''Zelda:''' Link will rescue me. He always does, it's his job.
* Roll from the ''WesternAnimation/MegaManRubySpears'' cartoon gets captured a couple times, but usually manages to make trouble for her captors—and she's an ActionGirl in combat.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has an interesting example in the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E19ADogAndPonyShow A Dog and Pony Show]]". The Diamond Dogs capture Rarity and force her to dig for gems for them. Unfortunately for them, she manages to drive them nuts with her over-the-top DramaQueen whining. At the end, [[spoiler:it turns out Rarity did that quite deliberately]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'':
** After getting captured in "[[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS1E11CallToAction Call to Action]]", Kanan spends a good chunk of his screentime in "[[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS1E12RebelResolve Rebel Resolve]]" snarking at Tarkin and the Grand Inquisitor while they're interrogating him. After several rounds of ElectricTorture, however, he still hasn't broken, but he's stopped talking. In "[[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS1E13FireAcrossTheGalaxy Fire Across the Galaxy]]", he ''still'' refuses to give any information, even though he [[LockedOutOfTheLoop didn't know anything to begin with]].
** "[[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E03HerasHeroes Hera's Heroes]]": Hera, upon realizing that [[MagnificentBastard Thrawn]] has seen through her disguise, defiantly tells him that the Empire ''will'' be defeated someday.
** "[[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E04TheLastBattle The Last Battle]]": Kanan, Ezra and Rex are forced to participate in a war game the droid general Kalani, leader of a holdout of Separatist droids, has planned. Zeb is held hostage because his species didn't participate in the Clone Wars, and spends this time snarking at Kalani and making an ImpliedDeathThreat.
** "[[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E19ZeroHour Zero]] [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E20ZeroHourPartII Hour]]": After his [[TheMole cover]] gets blown, [[spoiler:Kallus]] ends up getting held prisoner on the bridge of the ''Chimaera'' and ForcedToWatch as Thrawn carries out his attack on the rebels. He spends this time ''relentlessly'' [[DeadpanSnarker snarking]] at Thrawn and Pryce about the situation.
* Richie Foley of ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' in "Sons of the Fathers". It's not his only stint with this trope but it's one of the more successful ones.
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%% This trope was created in accordance with the Badass Damsel Trope Repair Thread found here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1372002150015954000&page=1

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** In season 3 of GO, he is captured by enemy's planet and forced to marry their queen. He immediately refuses the offer right in front of the queen's face. [[spoiler: Until he finds out the queen is not the BigBad, and eventually agrees to help her saving her doomed planet.]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Monkey D. Luffy and Eustass Kid are very defiant while imprisoned by Kaido in Wano. They talk back to the wardens and even attack them in self defense, or in Luffy's case to defend an old man he befriended. They do this even under the threat of bein dismembered or executed.
** During the same arc, Nami falls foul of Ulti, one of Kaido's strongest fighters. While Nami has no qualms to beg to save her life, she will not insult Luffy her captain, in order to be spared. She defiantly tells Ulti to her face that Luffy will definitely become Pirate King, infuriating the other woman.

* ''ComicBook/SecretOrigin:'' During "The Secret Origin of Green Lantern", a bunch of gangsters have kidnapped a little kid, and Alan Scott goes to rescue her. However, even before he gets there she's already making their lives miserable by being utterly un-intimidated by them.

* The Soothsayer goat in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2''. While she never tries to escape, she still doesn't make her imprisonment easy for Lord Shen, lecturing him in an effort to make him change his evil ways and trying to [[ExtremeOmniGoat eat his silk robes.]]

** In the sequel, ''Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle'', despite having been kidnapped to serve as Poppy's pet/permanant entertainment, Elton John has literally no problem with giving her and her minions [[SirSwearsALot a piece of his mind]].

* ''Film/GleahanAndTheKnavesOfIndustry:'' [[spoiler:Gleahan, when held at Johnson Manor.]]
* Early in ''Film/DieAnotherDay'', Bond is captured by the North Korean military and held in prison for several months, constantly tortured for information. He is finally traded for a North Korean operative, and M tells him that they received intel that someone was leaking information to the North Koreans. They assumed Bond broke under torture, which is why they traded him. Bond reveals he never broke, even though he didn't expect a rescue.

* Jerin of ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' is this when he is captured, using various strategies, trying to manipulate his kidnappers into thinking he's helpless and childlike is one of them. Cira, [[spoiler: captured along with him]] is this, too, but is also a BadassInDistress.
* [[Literature/ClockpunkAndTheVitalizer Dolores "Clockpunk" Garza]]. Sure, she spends much of her captive time sitting around or watching TV while being understandably unsettled by The Vitalizer, but she also [[spoiler: strings her "Bull" lie along as long as possible and affords herself a means of retribution and escape at the end of it]].

* ''Literature/CodexAlera'': Isana, having been kidnapped by the [[BigBad Vord Queen]] and [[DragonWithAnAgenda Invidia]], proceeds to play them off against each other, nearly getting Invidia killed, without so much as a single lie.

* In Creator/PoulAnderson's "Literature/TimeLag", Elva's position as prisoner does not prevent her weaselling concessions out of Bors, and at the end, she [[spoiler:casually orders them to take Bors into the corridors and shoot him.]]

* In ''Literature/TheRamayana'', throughout all the year she's imprisoned at Ravana's palace, Sita refuses to show the slightest hint of fear towards Ravana (which is quite impressive, given that he's a multi-headed demon who constantly yells at and threatens her), takes every opportunity she can to tell him that what he's doing is wrong and he will get punished for it, and eats only the bare minimum of all the fancy food he offers her necessary to stay alive. Rama later comments that Sita's integrity [[BreakTheHaughty broke Ravana's spirit]] just as much as the actual war fought to rescue her: he'd finally found someone he couldn't tempt or intimidate.
* In ''Literature/TheSorcerersDaughter'', Odette gets kidnapped [[spoiler:twice]], and [[spoiler:both times]] she isn’t afraid to show the kidnapper her spirit is far from broken – in different ways, ranging from SnarkToSnarkCombat to physical attack. It says a lot about her, considering that [[spoiler:each kidnapper (at least at the moment when she is held captive)]] is a powerful sorcerer.
* In the epilogue for ''Literature/JuliusZebra: Bundle with the Britons!'', [[spoiler:Julius's mother is chained to a training pole back in Rome after she refuses to train to become a gladiator. She demands to Victorious that she be freed or she will kick him.]]
* Several Controllers in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' are continually taunted by their hosts, the most effective perhaps being [[spoiler: Visser Four's host, an actor who continuously recites Shakespeare's ''Henry V'' in his head, driving the Visser so mad that his first stop after getting hold of a time machine is to go back in time and murder Henry.]]
* ''Literature/RuslanAndLudmila'': Ludmila successfully trolls Chernomor and his servants during her time in captivity. It's partly thanks to Chernomor being so Laughably Evil that she can't get properly scared.

* ''Series/Supergirl2015'': It's revealed in Season 3 that J'onn's father is still alive, having been kept in a prison camp for two centuries, with the White Martians using all manner of means to try to break him in order to reveal the location of the [[AmplifierArtifact Staff of K'rel]]. Ironically, it's J'onn bringing his father to their old home that ends up breaking him, by reminding him of what he lost.

* The titular PlayerCharacter of ''VideoGame/{{Guenevere}}'' can choose to spin her captivity in Book II this way. Whether or not she does, her fellow captive Morgana certainly makes a pain of herself to their captors. [[spoiler: And at least one of them will have escaped by the midpoint of Book II.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Robopon}}'', when kidnapped by her own father, Lisa instructs Cody to find bombs and blow up his tower.
* ''VideoGame/VagrantStory'': Callo Merlose is kidnapped just before the first boss, and remains captive for the entire game; since she's there to investigate the antagonists anyway, she takes advantage of this situation to learn as much as she can. On one occasion she almost reverses the power balance between herself and her captor. Heck, when she's first kidnapped, she straight up ''tells'' Ashley to stay on task and not bother about rescuing her!

* In a twist on her usual DamselInDistress role, ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' has Princess Peach attempting to escape Bowser's clutches on her own, even fighting a group of Goombas with just her parasol. She ultimately fails, becoming trapped in a more secure cage in time for Mario's final battle with Bowser, but it's a surprising effort coming from her.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Elliot gets captured by Damien. While tied up he engages in PassiveAggressiveKombat by snarking about Damien's [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-04 fire-based power]], [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-08 makes pop culture references]] and [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-11 lies]] when questioned, and [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-12-09 continually tries to escape]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989'' cartoon, a few episodes have Zelda get captured by Ganon and tied to a stalagmite. This doesn't stop her from mouthing off to Ganon, not to mention kicking or even biting if he gets too close.
--->'''Zelda:''' Link will rescue me. He always does, it's his job.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda'' cartoon, a few episodes have Zelda get captured by Ganon and tied to a stalagmite. This doesn't stop her from mouthing off to Ganon, not to mention kicking or even biting if he gets too close.

* In the ''Literature/LordOfTheRings'' fanfic ''FanFic/{{Left}}'', Frodo tries to withhold information about his homeland and identity, and when the orcs mention Sam, Frodo clams up entirely for fear of betraying him. He also mentions to the orcs threatening him that Sauron won't be happy if he's killed just yet.

** Simon is this in “[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5502176/1/ Freedom to the Free]]”. He resists every chance he gets, but keeps being forced to comply because of SexualExtortion and IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure threats. His snark and backtalk tendency gets him put into a called a [[https://youtu.be/T7lGsWO5R10 scold’s bridle]] for three nights at one point along with the owner beating him up.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Roll from the ''WesternAnimation/MegaMan'' cartoon gets captured a couple times, but usually manages to make trouble for her captors—and she's an ActionGirl in combat.

* Tsurugi Kyousuke from ''Anime/InazumaEleven''.

** The entry "Reading Adventure" features NonActionGuy Santiago and BadassBookworm Leslie as this trope when captured by said game's villain. Interestingly, Santiago, the one who has never shown any combat abilities, is the more vocal of the pair.
** In the earlier "5th Grade Adventures", team leader [[FieryRedhead Joni]] does this briefly when she and Santiago get captured by the aliens behind everything, demanding that their unseen captors release them.

[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/CthulhuMythos https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cthulhu_VS_the_Flying_Nun_by_Coelasquid.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cthulhu_VS_the_Flying_Nun_by_Coelasquid.jpg]]

* ''Film/It2017'': When Beverly is taken by Pennywise into Its lair, the frist thing she does is try to find a way out. When that fails, and It catches her, she defiantly tells It that [[NotAfraidOfYouAnymore she isn't afraid]]. It acknowledges that this is indeed true, leaving It with no other option than to blast her with the Deadlights so she'll at least stay docile.

** ''Film/It2017'': When Beverly is taken by Pennywise into Its lair, the frist thing she does is try to find a way out. When that fails, and It catches her, she defiantly tells It that [[NotAfraidOfYouAnymore she isn't afraid]]. It acknowledges that this is indeed true, leaving It with no other option than to blast her with the Deadlights so she'll at least stay docile.

* [[LightNovel/SwordArtOnline Asuna]] in ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' is a even better example of this than in the Anime & Manga folder. She gave a SpitefulSpit to Sugou and [[PityTheKidnapper is considered]] TheDreaded to Sugou's scientists and guards that some of them take their leave ''just to avoid her rampage'', and it's more than implied that she escaped her "[[CardboardPrison cage]]" multiple times. The only reason she is still a captive is because of Sugou's admin privileges.

* Esmeralda from ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame''. When she is tied to a pyre, [[DirtyOldMan Claude Frollo]], who has {{lust}}ed for her since meeting her, offers to release her in exchange for becoming "his". She [[DefiantToTheEnd metaphorically]] - [[SpitefulSpit and literally]] - [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome spits on his offer]].

* [[LightNovel/SwordArtOnline Asuna]] in ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' is a even better example of this than in the Anime & Manga folder. She gave a SpitfulSpit to Sugou and [[PityTheKidnapper is considered]] TheDreaded to Sugou's scientists and guards that some of them take their leave ''just to avoid her rampage'', and it's more than implied that she escaped her "[[CardboardPrison cage]]" multiple times. The only reason she is still a captive is because of Sugou's admin privileges.

* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' storyline ''ComicBook/TheKillersOfKrypton'', [[SmugSnake Harry Hokum]] captures ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and demands to know what business have brought her from Earth to his neck of the galaxy. Supergirl's only response is to spit on his eye.

** ''[[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Volume 1]]'': When Uvo has Steve and Diana trapped and helpless by their being stuck to a Magnetic Glazite wall he and his men walk up with guns drawn telling them to give up. As Diana had managed to keep her legs from touching the wall this approach is ill considered and she manages to kick one into the others and knock four of them down while saying an Amazon never gives up.

** “[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5502176/1/ Freedom to the Free]]”. He resists every chance he gets, but keeps being forced to comply because of SexualExtortion and IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure threats. His snark and backtalk tendency gets him out into a [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scold's_bridle scold’s bridle]] for three nights at one point along with the owner beating him up.

* In the Star Wars Rebles fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/32397421/chapters/80323648 Patron of the Art of War]]'' having been captured by Thrawn to "protect" her for her artistic abilities, Sabine is only semi compliant to his demands only after he threats to remove her eyes after her first act of defiance. She makes several defiant gestures throughout the story making it clear that Thrawn can't tame her. She even goes as far as to make an attempt to burn down Thrawn's exhibition down when ''[[spoiler:Vader and the Emperor]]'' show up. When that fails she makes a BadassBoast much to the [[spoiler:Emperor's]] amusement.

->Colonel Von Luger, it is the sworn duty of all officers to try to escape. If they cannot escape, then it is their sworn duty to cause the enemy to use an inordinate number of troops to guard them, and their sworn duty to harass the enemy to the best of their ability.
-->-Group Captain Ramsey -- ''Film/TheGreatEscape''

-->''Film/TheGreatEscape'' - Group Captain Ramsey