History Main / IAmWhatIAm

Compare ItsWhatIDo and IAmNotHim. If someone else needs to learn this lesson, they may be advised, "BeYourself."

* ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}: "I yam what I yam, and dats all what I yam."

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' had a rather dark and depressing example in the episode "Sideshow". Killer Croc escapes from a prison transport and ends up stumbling across a small community of circus performers living in the woods. They see him as one of their own and even defend him from Batman when he tracks him down. Croc seems to enjoy the acceptance and peace the group offers but is unable to deny who he really is, and ends up trying to steal the performers' savings. When the sealboy, who Croc had bonded with, tearfully asks him why just as Croc is lifted away by helicopter back to jail, he can only solemnly reply with this.
--> '''Croc''': You said it yourself, kid. "Out here, you can be yourself." I guess that's what I was doing. Being myself.

* This is what [[KungFuWizard Kirei]] [[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife Kotomine]] in ''Fanfic/FateZeroSanity'' does when he comes to terms with his [[EvilFeelsGood desire to watch the suffering of others]]. He accepts this part of himself, though he still does his best to curb its influence. [[spoiler: It just took [[BackFromTheDead coming back from the dead]] and making a [[WhatYouAreInTheDark life-changing decision to get there]].]]
* ''Fanfic/QueenOfShadows'': During a moment of [[HiddenDepths surprising depth]], Tsume says that while [[EvenEvilHasStandards the other Shadowkhan may hate his tribe]], he doesn't care because he knows [[DoomTroops what they were made for]] and that they're living up to it, so in his mind, there's nothing to be ashamed of.

--> '''Oona:''' Things always fall apart a lot better if I'm there in charge.

* This is perhaps the main moral behind ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, had become bored and dreary with scaring and longed for something more. After discovering Christmas and attempting to take a shot at it, only to fail miserably, he has a BSODSong which leads to up to this trope:
--> ''Well, what the heck! I went and did my best! And by god, I really tasted something swell! And for a moment, why, I even touched the sky! And at least I left some stories they can tell, I did! And for the first time since I don't remember when, I felt just like my old boney self again! And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King...That's right. I'' '''AM''' ''THE PUMPKIN KING! HA! HA! HA! HA!''
* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'':
--> '''Tai Lung:''' You cannot defeat me... You're just a big... fat... panda!
--> '''Po:''' I'm not a big fat panda. I'm [[SpellMyNameWithAThe THE big fat panda!]]

--> '''Po:''' I am Po. [[ItMakesSenseInContext And I'm gonna need a hat.]]

-->[[spoiler:'''Kai''']]: Who are you?
-->'''Po''': I've been asking the same question. Am I the son of a panda? The son of a goose? A student? A teacher? Turns out I'm all of them. '''''[[BadassBoast I AM THE DRAGON WARRIOR!]]''''' [[spoiler:[[MoodWhiplash Get it? See the giant dragon?]]]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt''
--> '''Moses''': Who are You?
--> '''God''': I am that I am.
--> '''Moses''': I don't understand.
--> '''God''': I am the God of your ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

--> '''Django''': Where are you going?
--> '''Rémy''': Back to the restaurant! They'll fail without me!
--> '''Django''': Why do you care?
--> '''Rémy''': Because ''I'm a cook!''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'': After spending her life trying to conceal her [[AnIcePerson ice powers]], Elsa finally comes to terms with herself and her powers, resulting in the song ''Let It Go'', [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope at least until Elsa gets informed of the]] EndlessWinter she created and she ended up going back to square one, especially when she struck Anna in the heart. [[DoubleSubverted The sisters enjoy a happy ending in the end, though, after they learn to reconcile her Snow Queen identity with her life in Arendelle with her family.]]]]
--> '''Frozen Elsa''': Let it go, let it go/Can't hold it back anymore...
%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* The journey of self-acceptance continues for Elsa in the sequel ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'' [[spoiler: as she follows a voice in the song ''Into the Unknown'' and sings with her mother, Iduna, in a song called ''Show Yourself''.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'': Popeye uses this phrase as a catchphrase, mangled by his usual pronunskiation: ''"I yam whats I yam, and dat's all wot I yam"''. Probably the TropeCodifier
* In ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'', Sam reveals to Flint that she was teased for being a nerd as a child, so she changed her look and [[ObfuscatingStupidity hid her smarts behind a bubbly ditz personality]]. Flint not only gets her to reclaim her nerdiness but to revert to her earlier [[NerdGlasses glasses]]-and-ponytail style.
-->'''Flint''': I mean, this is the real you, right? Smart, bespectacled...who wouldn't want to see that?

* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' has the Bad-Anon Creed: "I am bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me." Repeated at the end -- [[spoiler: he feels proud of being a hero in Vanellope's eyes, even if the rest of the world views him as a villain]].

* ''Film/TheColorPurple'': "I'm poor, black, I may even be ugly. But dear God- I'm here! ''I'm HERE!!''"

* ''Manga/DragonBallZ'':
--> '''[[IdiotHero Goku]]''': I am the Saiyan sent to Earth as a baby to defeat you [Freeza]. Despite my quiet exterior, [[BewareTheNiceOnes my calm heart]] has been [[TranquilFury awakened by rage]]. '''I am the [[SuperMode Super Saiyan]], Son Goku!'''

--> '''Luz''': [[spoiler: For I am the Good Witch Luz, child of the Human Realm, student of the Demon Realm, and Warrior of Peace. [[CallBack NOW EAT THIS, SUCKA!]]]]

* ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}: "I yam what I yam, and dats all what I yam."

---> '''Fire Lord Ozai''': ''(laughs)'' Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?
---> '''Zuko''' ''(smiling)'': Yes. He has.

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' episode "The Doomsday Sanction" features a villainous example. When Doomsday says that he'll kill Superman, he asks why. The creature replies "It's what I am. I don't care why."
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' had a rather dark and depressing example in the episode "Sideshow". Killer Croc escapes from a prison transport and ends up stumbling across a small community of circus performers living in the woods. They see him as one of their own and even defend him from Batman when he tracks him down. Croc seems to enjoy the acceptance and peace the group offers but is unable to deny who he really is, and ends up trying to steal the performers' savings. When the sealboy, who Croc had bonded with, tearfully asks him why just as Croc is lifted away by helicopter back to jail, he can only solemnly reply with this.
--> '''Croc''': You said it yourself, kid. "Out here, you can be yourself." I guess that's what I was doing. Being myself.

* What started as a fantasy sequence in the opening of WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse pilot, becomes a self-affirming BadassBoast and PreAsskickingOneLiner for Luz [[spoiler:in the finale episode when she takes down Emperor Belos once and for all.]]

Not to be confused with IAmSpartacus or IAmWho. Or "I am ''Who'' I am", which is the best translation that scholars can find for YHWH, the name of the Judeo-Christian God (the context of that quote isn't really an example of this trope either way).

** The Twelfth Doctor's realization in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E12DeathInHeaven Death in Heaven]]" that he is not a good man, or a bad man, but an idiot with a box and a screwdriver who tries to learn and help where he can. It's a nice summation of what the Doctor has been throughout his (now her) various lives, and a declaration of self-acceptance that's rarely seen for a character with such a low view of themselves.

* What started as a fantasy sequence in the opening of WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse pilot, becomes a self-affirming BadassBoast PreAssKickingOneLiner for Luz [[spoiler: in the finale episode when she takes down Emperor Belos once and for all.]]
--> '''Luz''': [[spoiler: "For I am the Good Witch Luz, child of the Human Realm, student of the Demon Realm, and Warrior of Peace. [[CallBack NOW EAT THIS, SUCKA!"]] ]]

** When Kyros spreads a rumor that his daughter Rebecca is the secret lovechild of her mother Scarlett and a foreign prince, in order to not have her branded by his criminal past, Rebecca has none of it and angrily tells him that she's not the daughter of not some prince: even if her father is a former criminal who killed people, she's still the daughter of Kyros. Then again, [[EverybodyKnewAlready everyone in Dressrosa already knew that Scarlett and Kyros eloped over 16 years ago]], so starting the rumor in the first place was rather pointless.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'': Popeye uses this phrase as a CatchPhrase, mangled by his usual pronunskiation: ''"I yam whats I yam, and dat's all wot I yam"''. Probably the TropeCodifier

** Usopp gets this a lot.
** Robin at Enies Lobby.

--> '''[[IdiotHero Goku]]''': I am the Saiyan sent to Earth as a baby to defeat you [Freeza]. Despite my quiet exterior, [[BewareTheNiceOnes my calm heart has]] [[TranquilFury been awakened by rage]]. '''I am the [[SuperMode Super Saiyan]], Son Goku!'''

* As of [[spoiler: the defeat of the Impure King]] ''Manga/BlueExorcist'''s [[AntiAntiChrist Rin]] has accepted his HellFire and heritage as the [[{{Satan}} Son of Satan]]. Unfortunately, others aren't so ready to agree with him...
* Inori in ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'' accepts that as long as she can protect Shu, she doesn't care if [[spoiler:she was just created to be the host for Mana's soul]].
* [[spoiler:Kabuto]] of ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' came to believe that his existence was a lie and so he reshaped himself into a different person to escape that lie. [[spoiler:Itachi]] trapped him in an EpiphanicPrison which Kabuto only escaped when he accepted his original life.
* Much as she wants to [[IJustWantToBeNormal look like a normal girl]], Nano Shinonome from ''Manga/{{Nichijou}}'' can't get rid of the [[RobotGirl robotic]] WindUpKey on her back because of the bratty little professor. She learns to embrace it in the end.
* William of ''Literature/LogHorizon'' and his fellow guild members all came [[DespairEventHorizon close to giving up on raiding]] because each death forced them to face all of their personal failings and weaknesses. After the [[TotalPartyKill worst death yet]] he began [[DespairSpeech a rant about his weaknesses]], but his acceptance of them and refusal to just give up turned it into a RousingSpeech for his entire guild.
* In the manga of ''Manga/SailorMoon'', the character arcs of the various Sailor Soldiers include this.
** Sadistically {{deconstructed|Trope}} with Minako in [[Manga/CodenameSailorV her solo manga]], as finally accepting she is and always will be Sailor Venus comes with her, the Goddess of Love, realizing [[MarriedToTheJob she'll always put her mission above her love life]], and [[spoiler: also killing her true love because he was with the Dark Kingdom and wouldn't stand down when she told him to.]]
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Matsuri is split into [[OppositeSexClone male and female]] versions, and the girl Matsuri becomes convinced she's a non-human duplicate who should abandon the "real" Matsuri's life, including her love for Suzu. A while after running away, she instead decides, human or not, she's still Matsuri and wants to live besides Suzu.
-->''No matter what form my body takes, I want to protect Suzu from right by her side. As long as my wind revolves around her, I am Matsuri Kazamaki.''

* Every party member in ''VideoGame/Persona4'' does this to obtain their Persona.

* In the canon route of ''VideoGame/BlazeUnion'', Garlot has it dropped on him quite abruptly that [[IAmWho he's not who he thinks he is]]--as much as his mother tried to hide it from him, he's actually a pureblooded descendant of the demon Brongaa, and his real name is Gulcasa. As this comes in the middle of a brutal TraumaCongaLine, it would probably be forgivable for the poor kid to break down from the identity crisis... but he just accepts the truth calmly and then sets about trying to find a way to use his newfound power to protect people. At the very end of the game, he puts the spirit of this trope into words, but by then it really comes off as more of a TearJerker than anything else, as several people who meant a lot to him have utterly rejected him because of this.
* The ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series:
** In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'', Sonic gives one in response to Shadow's inquiry of what special kind of creature Sonic must be to have been able to conduct Chaos Control (especially notable as he did it with a '''fake''' Emerald, something Shadow views as impossible) and escape certain death from that explosion. Sonic's answer is the defining moment of his character: "What you see is what you get: just a guy that loves adventure. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!"
** In ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', at the end of several story routes and especially the final, canon route Shadow states, "This is who I am!" when he is finally at peace with his (perceived) identity and has put the past behind him once and for all. Shadow comes to terms with the idea that he is a weapon designed by Gerald Robotnik, but he has decided that he can be so much more than just a weapon: with his powers, he will find a way to bring the people of the Earth happiness, just as Maria had hoped.

* At the end of his optional introspection storyline in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'', Desmond arrives at the realization: "My name is Desmond Miles. I am an Assassin. I ''am'' an Assassin." Notably, he has denied being an Assassin multiple times since game one.
* Terra in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' is at first terrified of the fact that [[spoiler:she's half-human, half esper (basically a magical creature from another world).]] However, she comes to accept the fact that she is what she is and uses it to try to [[spoiler:make peace with the espers, although Kefka ultimately ruins that.]]
* J, the leader of the Reaper Squad in ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'', is what is known as a "Cultivator": an artificially grown soldier cloned from the best pilots with no purpose other than to fight and [[MindUploading who has had their consciousness digitized]] and uploaded into an [[MiniMecha AC]]. With the massive war between the Three Great Powers finally ending, J realizes that his purpose is coming to end as well. He confronts the player in a final battle, admitting that "there is no place for me but the battlefield. To live as I please... and die a senseless death."

* A rather sobering example shows up at the end of ''VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries'': Bruce Wayne is faced with the choice of either [[spoiler:allowing his butler Alfred Pennyworth to ResignInProtest, or send Batman into early retirement]]. This is Bruce's line should the player choose the former option:
-->''You're right, Al. It's who I am. I will always be Batman. That will never change.''

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* In the 2013 stage adaptation of ''Theatre/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', Willy Wonka has the song "Simply Second Nature", in which he explains that his strange confectionery creations are born of a desire to [[DoingItForTheArt create beautiful things]]; he cannot help but follow his muse, he happens to use sweets as his artistic medium, and he doesn't care if others find him strange for it.

* What started as a fantasy sequence in the opening of [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse]] pilot, becomes a self-affirming BadassBoast PreAssKickingOneLiner for Luz [[spoiler: in the finale episode when she takes down Emperor Belos once and for all.]]

* ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh'' is full of people with subtextual identity issues. The two surviving members of the HalfHumanHybrid Rutenburg division make a study in contrasts on this point:

* William of ''LightNovel/LogHorizon'' and his fellow guild members all came [[DespairEventHorizon close to giving up on raiding]] because each death forced them to face all of their personal failings and weaknesses. After the [[TotalPartyKill worst death yet]] he began [[DespairSpeech a rant about his weaknesses]], but his acceptance of them and refusal to just give up turned it into a RousingSpeech for his entire guild.

** Sadistically {{Deconstructed}} with Minako in [[Manga/CodenameSailorV her solo manga]], as finally accepting she is and always will be Sailor Venus comes with her, the Goddess of Love, realizing [[MarriedToTheJob she'll always put her mission above her love life]], and [[spoiler: also killing her true love because he was with the Dark Kingdom and wouldn't stand down when she told him to.]]

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[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

* In an episode of ''Series/RedDwarf'', Kryten the android becomes human. At first he's thrilled because mechanoids tend to view humans as awesome. As he starts belittling his origins and insulting his spare heads, he starts to realize that he can't change what he is inside; an android who can't tell the difference between Popeye and Descartes. Also, it provides this funny moment:
-->'''Human Kryten''' (Hands Lister a Poloroid photograph of his penis): Is that normal?
-->'''Lister:''' What, taking pictures of it and showing it to your mates? No, it's ''not''.

* Spock throughout ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}''. He even addresses it word-for-word in "This Side of Paradise":
-->'''Spock''': I am what I am, [[GirlOfTheWeek Leila]], and if there are self-made purgatories, then we all have to live in them. Mine can be no worse than someone else's.
* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Warhead", the crew are trying to disarm an InterstellarWeapon with ArtificialIntelligence, despite its objections. Harry and Janeway try to assure the AI that they were only trying to remove its explosive component, but it can't see any difference between the two. "I am what I am!"
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Ninth Doctor's regeneration can be considered this. Having been tortured by what he's done in the Time War for this incarnation's entire life (implied at points to be 100+ years), he is able to come to terms with who he is and express satisfaction with it, thanks to the cathartic HeroicSacrifice he gives to save Rose Tyler.
--> '''Nine''': Absolutely fantastic. And you know what? So was I. *teary-eyed grins from both Rose and himself*
** The Twelfth Doctor's realization in "Death in Heaven" that he is not a good man, or a bad man, but an idiot with a box and a screwdriver who tries to learn and help where he can. It's a nice summation of what the Doctor has been throughout his (now her) various lives, and a declaration of self-acceptance that's rarely seen for a character with such a low view of themselves.

* The ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series:

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---> '''Fire Lord Ozai''': ''{laughs)'' Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?

* Setsuna Sakurazaki from ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''. She's not particularly ashamed of the fact that she's [[HalfHumanHybrid half-tengu]] and therefore [[WingPull can sprout wings at will]], but she ''is'' ashamed of the fact that said wings are white rather than black (it's hinted she may be albino), which marked her as an instant outcast of her demon tribe. Never mind the fact that her TrueCompanions think [[FreakinessShame that the wings are awesome]] and that she looks like an angel.

--> '''God''': I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: "'I Am' has sent me to you."

---> '''Anton:''' "Zavulon, you are the spawn of darkness."\\

-->'''Lister:''' What, taking pictures of it and showing it to your mates? No, it's ''not''."

-->-- '''Joshua Norton, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico''', ''ComicBook/TheSandman''