History Main / RuggedScar

* In the ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' novel "The Emperor's Finest", [[MasterSwordsman Cain]] gives Drumon, a Techmarine ([[SuperSoldier of all people]]) he's sparring with, one, albeit on his armour (which might as well be skin as far as a Space's Marine's concerned, especially a [[MachineWorship Reclaimer Techmarine]]). Drumon decides not to repair it as a reminder not to let his guard down (as he was deliberately holding back, and still confident that Cain wouldn't accidentally wound him).

* In the ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' novel "The Emperor's Finest", [[MasterSwordsman Cain]] gives Drumon, a Techmarine ([[SuperSoldier of all people]]) he's sparing with, one, albeit on his armour (which might as well be skin as far as a Space's Marine's concerned, especially a [[MachineWorship Reclaimer Techmarine]]). Drumon decides not to repair it as a reminder not to let his guard down (as he was deliberately holding back, and still confident that Cain wouldn't accidentally wound him).

* After coming back from offscreen TrainingFromHell at the end of ''Manga/DragonBall'', Yamcha sports a few facial scars indicating that he's come back stronger (although he still CantCatchUp).
* In ''Manga/DragonBall'', Colonel Silver, a KnightOfCerebus, has a small cross shaped scar on his chest.

* Vandal Savage in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' sports a trio of scars along his face. This is despite being an immortal caveman and MagnificentBastard.

* Domon Kasshu, HotBlooded hero of ''Series/GGundam'' has a cross-shaped scar on his right cheek. The origin is never given, but it fits his brash persona.

* [[BlindWeaponmaster Blind Master]], played by [[Creator/WuTangClan the RZA]], has a large gash running down his face. Its cause it not revealed in the movie, but he's shown to be a wise and skilled master.

* [[BlindWeaponmaster Blind Master]], played by Creator/{{RZA}}, has a large gash running down his face. Its cause it not revealed in the movie, but he's shown to be a wise and skilled master.

* ''Manga/BusouRenkin's'' Tokiko Tsumura has a large scar running horizontally across her cheeks and nose. It's left unexplained until the epilogue chapter, where it turns out she acquired it when [[spoiler:she was attacked by a humanoid homunculus and activated her Busou Renkin for the first time]]. The author stated in the liner notes that it was partly inspired by the scar he'd put on Himura Kenshin's left cheek in ''Manga/RurouniKenshin''.

* Raleigh from ''Film/PacificRim'' has a few scars on his torso looking like claw wounds. They're presumably from when [[CynicismCatalyst his brother was killed by a kaiju]].

* ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'':

** Admiral Amnell Kree in the Foundry mission [[Recap/StarTrekOnlineFoundryBaitAndSwitch "Bait and Switch"]] has very heavy scarring across her left eye. Her in-game dossier implies them to be the result of injuries sustained during the Dominion War, but they serve more to mark her as a FrontlineGeneral.

* BitchInSheepsClothing [[spoiler: Matt Engarde]] from ''VideoGame/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' hides a double example under his PeekABangs; he has the claw-like scars over one of his eyes. This highlights that he's nowhere near as innocent as he seems, but hides it well as these never get seen before TheReveal that he's the BigBad of the case.

* Valeros, the iconic fighter in ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', has a scar on his cheek. Presumably it's to make him look more battle-hardened.

Like an EyepatchAfterTimeSkip, it's a common tool to show a character is a FutureBadass. Goes hand-in-hand with RealMenGetShot.

Compare EveryScarHasAStory. In this case, the story behind the scar is irrelevant, all that matters is that the character's scar sets them apart as tough or a survivor. Overlap between the two is possible; even if the cause of a scar is revealed, if it is used to show someone is tough then this applies as well. CoveredInScars is a subtrope that occurs when this is taken UpToEleven.

Like an EyepatchAfterTimeSkip, it's a common tool to show a character is a FutureBadass.

* In the first and second ''Film/{{Terminator}}'' movies, the John Connor of the future has an unexplained scar on his face. We finally see what causes this scar in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation.''

[[quoteright:331:[[Film/{{Avatar}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/avatar22_209.jpg]]

A relatively simple way for a writer to show a character's tough without explicitly saying it: give them a prominent scar. Even if the [[EveryScarHasAStory cause of the scar]] is never revealed, it's clear that the character suffered some sort of serious wound and survived. For example, you look at a group of [[SpaceMarine Space Marines]]. Who do you think is the toughest one there? The cleanfaced guy or the [[OldSoldier guy with a healed gash across his face]]?

Like EyepatchAfterTimeSkip, it's a common tool to show a character is a FutureBadass

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* When Riley [[TheBusCameBack returns]] in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', he's [[TookALevelInBadass taken a level in badass]] and gained a really neat scar over an eye.

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* [[AnIcePerson Sub Zero]] gained a scar over one eye in between ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'' II and 3. The details behind it are never given, but it does coincide with him being cast out by his McNinja Assassin Clan.

* BitchInSheepsClothing [[spoiler: Matt Engarde]] from ''VideoGame/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' hides a double example under his PeekABangs; he has the claw-like scars over one of his eyes. This highlights that he's nowhere near as innocent as he seems, but hides it well as these never get seen before TheReveal that he's the BigBad of the case.

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* Bardock, Goku's father in ''Manga/DragonBallZ'' is [[StrongFamilyResemblance completely identical to his son]] (and his son as well), except for the fact that he has a scar on his cheek. Not surprising he'd pick something like that up, considering his job is to travel from planet to planet and wipe out their entire populations.