History Main / HoistHeroOverHead

A step above the NeckLift in terms of villainous grandstanding (yet also ironically more realistic to perform), and a sister trope to TouchOfTheMonster (though usually with slightly less innuendo. Usually). Compare LoadBearingHero and people lifting other things over their heads as a show of SuperStrength. Commonly invokes the WrestlerInAllOfUs.

* ''Comicbook/{{Damage}}'': In issue #3, ComicBook/WonderWoman triumphantly [[https://ibb.co/QPdD8jS holds Damage over her head]] using one arm.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
** Bane does this a ''lot'', but never more strikingly than in the "ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}" storyline, when he hoists Batman over his head and slams him down on his knee, ''breaking Batman's back.'' In fact, it happens twice in the same story, the second time in the picture above having Bane throw Batman's broken body to the ground in view of Gotham.

* Killmonger [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/ba/e7/3abae7623de3815bbd581d88aadcef95.jpg does this]] to ''ComicBook/BlackPanther'' in the comics before tossing him off a waterfall.
* In DC's ''Comicbook/{{Damage}}'' #3, Franchise/WonderWoman triumphantly [[https://ibb.co/QPdD8jS holds Damage over her head]] using one arm.
* In ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' evil FlyingBrick Gladiator [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9_rqNDzi0SY/VOjkmcxtwjI/AAAAAAAAYaw/PjeObWwUPSE/s1600/Fantastic%2BFour%2B249.jpg does a one handed]] version to The Thing.
** Later in ''ComicBook/XMen'' Gladiator [[http://www.comicsrecommended.com/images/sixteen3/x-men-uncanny-276-bad.jpg does it to Deathbird]].
* During the third issue of ''ComicBook/FormerlyKnownAsTheJusticeLeague'', this makes an [[https://ibb.co/SQ7BqS9 appearance]]
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'' [[http://www.comics.org/issue/24429/cover/4/?style=default #142]]: Valkyrie holds the Hulk over her head.

* In the cover for ''ComicBook/MsMarvel'' [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9620fcd57e13e7b8ffc952f02eab4941.jpg vol. 2 #44]], Moonstone holds our titular heroine chained up over her head while the rest of ComicBook/DarkAvengers observe.
* ''ComicBook/{{Nightcrawler}}'', did once did a [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/URZX-_qKPBeHPvmrTN5WYn5r78K_vy143l6LAEIA4OcRhg135oXY8GELH9fP6EJ2TNe4BIhZCJz1=s1600 one handed version]] to Callisto.
* Inverted in ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comics. In "Spectacular Spider-Man" #193 Spidey beats up the Puma badly, and then hoists him above his head. The scene made [[http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080612161750/marveldatabase/images/5/5a/The_Spectacular_Spider-Man_Vol_1_193.jpg the cover]] of the issue.
* When the ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' end up on Apokolips, Amanda Waller finds herself staring down Granny Goodness. It's IronLady vs EvilMatriarch, with just one problem -- as hardcore as Waller is, [[http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1015312.html she's still mortal]].

** Superman villain Mongul [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xbhWwtlQjkc/Up9tHTqNTWI/AAAAAAAAR0o/mRrCAEmpZZY/s1600/IMG_1678.PNG does this]] to Batman in ''Batman/Superman''.

* Superman is seen being lifted and held above Wonder Woman’s head (by Wonder Woman of course) in the cover of an issue of ''[[https://ibb.co/FK8zkSS Super Man Wonder Woman]]''.

* HeroicSeductress Zarda lifts the Hulk [[https://ibb.co/Fn469GR this way]] and also in a [[https://ibb.co/sbt3ZX6 one handed]] variation during the ''Ultimate Hulk Annual''.
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'' did this to ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} in the ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' Universe, [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe before ripping him in half]].

* In the cover for ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 Vol 2]] # 145 "Devastating Consequences", Devastation holds Wonder Woman over her head.

The hero variants use it as a statement that to get to this person you will have to go through the hero.

* Sal'uk does this to Aladdin before tossing him off the cliff during the Challenge in ''WesternAnimation/AladdinAndtheKingOfThieves''.

* A heroic variant comes in one of Sub-Zero's fatalities in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse''. He grabs the opponent and holds them over his head, freezes them, and [[LiterallyShatteredLives smashes them to pieces]].
* In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' Kotal Khan’s god ray move involves him lifting his opponent above his head and blasting them with a [[PowerOfTheSun sun beam]]. If it’s a Brutality their victim body will explode.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Makoto/Lita, right before she learns she's Sailor Jupiter. It happened to her again by a monster-of-the-week in a flashback in "People Who Need People".

* In DC’s ''Comicbook/{{Damage}}'' #3, Franchise/WonderWoman triumphantly [[https://ibb.co/QPdD8jS holds Damage over her head]] using one arm.

* Inverted in ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comics. In "Spectacular Spider-man" #193 Spidey beats up the Puma badly, and then hoists him above his head. The scene made [[http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080612161750/marveldatabase/images/5/5a/The_Spectacular_Spider-Man_Vol_1_193.jpg the cover]] of the issue.
* When the ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' end up on Apokolips, Amanda Waller finds herself staring down Granny Goodness. It's IronLady vs EvilMatriarch, with just one problem - as hardcore as Waller is, [[http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1015312.html she's still mortal]].
-->'''Granny:''' Tell me, little worm, do they regard you as someone strong, someone nasty, in your own world? This is not your world. This is where darkness, where cruelty and power, are all born. You aren't "nasty", little worm, you're only human. We are ''Gods''. We don't aspire to cruelty, we ''are'' cruelty! ''(SLAM)''

* ''FanFic/BringMeToLife'': In chapter 37, the First, in a very Bane-style move, lifts Buffy over its head and slams her down on its knee, breaking her back.

* {{Inverted|Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanUnbound''. Sups does this to Brainiac, before throwing him into a chasm onboard his spaceship.

* ''Film/BruteForce1947'': At the the end of their brutal fight, Joe lifts the unconscious Munsey over his head before hurling him from the watchtower into the prison yard.
* In ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick2004'', Lord Vaako does this to The Guv, slamming his back onto his knee and killing him.

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse

** Hero to hero example in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' Drax lifts Mantis over his head to prevent her from getting sucked into the core of Ego, the Living Planet.
** Played more realistically in ''Film/BlackPanther2018'', just like in the comics Erik Killmonger does to the defeated T'challa. However in this version it's closer to firemen's lift since Killmonger doesn't have SuperStrength... ''at that point''.
** Played straight in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' where Thanos does this [[spoiler: [[https://youtu.be/yK1YIRTaqa0?t=42 to The Hulk]] after beating him senseless, [[TheWorfEffect effectively]] [[EstablishingCharacterMoment establishing]] Thanos's unmatched strength to the heroes and the audience before finishing him off with a bodyslam.]]

* A {{mook}} does this to Jay in ''Film/MenInBlackII''.

'''Angel:''' Connor, listen to me -\\
'''Connor:''' You almost broke that guy in half! ''(Beat)'' That was AWESOME! ''(Act break)'' Seriously, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen!\\
'''Angel:''' Well, it's...it's not a big deal. I mean, I do stuff like that a lot.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': During a fight against a giant Pit Fiend, Durkon tries using "Thor's Might" to get bigger and fight the devil more evenly, but this just results in the Pit Fiend hoisting the giant dwarf above his head, putting him on fire, and throwing him to the ground.

* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': In "Bachelorette", after the evil goddess Eris is knocked out, Jennifer, who is an ordinary civilian, presses her overhead and hurls her off a balcony.

** {{ComicBook/Darkseid}} does this to Superman in the last episode, "Destroyer". He then brings Supes's back down on his knee, Batman-and-Bane style; it doesn't ''break'' his back, but it hurts like hell.
--> "Super or otherwise, you're merely a man. [[AGodAmI And I...am a God.]]"

* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'':

* ''VideoGame/Destiny2'': When a treacherous [[{{Cyclops}} Psion]] attempts to assassinate Commander Zavala during a peace conference, [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Empress Caiatl]] lays down the law by hefting the would-be assassin over her head and slamming him into the ground '''hard'''. Given that Caiatl is a Cabal (a species that can be adequately described as [[RhinoRampage humanoid rhinoceroses]]), the unlucky Psion does not survive the experience.

* In ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'', Lord Vaako does this to The Guv, slamming his back onto his knee and killing him.

* In ''Film/PhantomOfTheMallEricsRevenge'', Eric lifts Mayor Karen Wilton over his ahead before [[DestinationDefenestration hurling through the office window]] into the atrium of the mall where she falls to her death.

A step above the NeckLift in terms of villainous posturing, and a sister trope to TouchOfTheMonster (though usually with slightly less innuendo. Usually). Compare LoadBearingHero and people lifting other things over their heads as a show of SuperStrength. Commonly invokes the WrestlerInAllOfUs.