History Main / SayYourPrayers

* PlayedForLaughs in ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', where Chloe starts praying as Stoneheart hurls her off of the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug [[NotTheFallThatKillsYou catches her]], and she says she didn't mean it, leaving Ladybug confused as to what she meant.

Say you're a good guy. You suddenly find the ImplacableMan, EldritchAbomination, or some other terror is in front of you. There's no escape, no possibility of [[DidYoujustPunchOutCthulhu punching it out]], no amount of HeroicWillpower is going to save you, and either death or a FateWorseThanDeath are certain.

* A LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek found a woman being dragged into the woods behind her home. As her attacker tears off her clothes and rapes her, she begins to recite the 23rd Psalm. It doesn't stop the attack, but it provides her with a much-needed distraction from the horrible thing happening to her.

* PunkyBrewster says a bedtime prayer at the end of "The Search," in which she asks God to help find her missing mother but at the same time thanks Him for having Henry as her foster father.

* In PawDugan's Top 10 Video Game Composers [[VideoGame/KingsQuestV Cedric]] takes his vengeance on Paw. When cornered...

* In ''Film/TheTown'', before an armored car robbery, Gloansy tells Doug and Jem "Say your prayers", which cues them to put on rubber nun masks (complete with veils).

* Similarly, Cristopher Tin's ''Baba Yetu'' (the theme song for ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}} 4'' is the Lord's Prayer in Swahili, and also paying gratitude to God.

* Subverted in Music/{{Sabaton}}'s ''The Caroleans Prayer''. The chorus is the Lord's Prayer in Swedish, but it's in Thanks for a victory, rather than in resignation.

Alternatively, say you're a bad guy and maybe the {{Badass}} AntiHero you pissed off has finally caught up to you on his RoaringRampageOfRevenge. Maybe you're just an unfortunate {{Mook|s}} who turned a corner while walking your patrol in the SupervillainLair and came face to face with TheHero.

* In the ''X-O Manowar'' comic, the main character Aric starts out as a Visigoth warrior who hates Rome for slaughtering his family, and, by extension, Christianity. (The Romans having adopted Christianity by then.) In one scene he comes upon a group of [[CorruptChurch Corrupt Priests]] and their guards tormenting and intent on raping a young girl. Aric surprises and kills the guards then advances on the priests, one of whom simply kneels there and prays in place until Aric [[OffWithHisHead decapitates him]].

* A cartoon with Porky Pig and Charlie Dog has a neighbor calling Porky's line to complain of the noise. Charlie answers it and after being threatened with physical harm, tells the caller "I'll save ya the trouble and come up there! So say your prayers, chowder-head 'cuz here I come!"

* In a ''SinCity'' comic where TheMafia clashes with the girls of Oldtown, Dwight notes that one of the mobsters just stands there and begins praying in flawless Latin as the final massacre begins.

* Inverted by Bevier in ''Literature/TheElenium'' who, upon killing a corrupt guard officer (legally justified as an on-the-spot execution for insubordination), proceeds to lead the man's subordinates in ''prayers for his soul''. Yes, it was a very effective intimidation tactic, but with [[ThePaladin Bevier being who he is]], there's no reason to believe his prayers were insincere.

* The ''{{Preacher}}'' bit that details the StartOfDarkness for [[ImplacableMan The Saint of Killers]] had one of these. After coming BackFromTheDead and taking over for TheGrimReaper, The Saint goes to take revenge on the outlaw band that prevented him from bringing medicine to his [[ItsPersonal wife and child]]. The first member of the group that he encounters was an ex-priest who lost his faith, and the moment that said ex-priest sees the Saint he pisses himself and begins praying with as much fervor as he ever had.

* In MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers, [[SmugSnake Quattro]] manages to get off an [[OhCrap "Oh dear mother of God...!"]] before [[MagicalGirlWarrior Nan]][[PersonOfMassDestruction oha]] blasts through an [[AntiMagic anti-magic field]], and an [[DungeonBypass entire armoured warship]] with [[WaveMotionGun one spell.]]

* In the film version of ''Theatre/TheCrucible'', John Proctor and company recite the Lord's Prayer at the gallows as a final TakeThat against their persecutors because they shouldn't have been able to if they were truly against God.
* In ''GranTorino'', Walt Kowalski starts reciting a Hail Mary right before he [[ThanatosGambit gets himself killed on purpose.]]
* Film/{{Titanic}}: A man is heard praying as he scrambles towards the lifeboats. Later, an emergency Mass is given by a priest as the ship starts tilting.

This trope is not about ''telling'' someone to say their prayers: That one is PrepareToDie. Compare PrayerIsALastResort.

* Aversion: Yosemite Sam would often tell BugsBunny [[PrepareToDie "Say your prayers, varmint!"]], but Bugs generally opted for [[KarmicTrickster a different]] [[TakeThatKiss response]] to Sam's threats.

* Subverted in ''Music/{{Sabaton}}s ''The Caroleans Prayer''. The chorus is ''The Lords Prayer'' in Swedish, but it's in Thanks for a victory, rather than in resignation.

* Subverted in ''Music/{{Sabaton}}'s ''The Carolean's Prayer''. The chorus is ''The Lord's Prayer'' in Swedish, but it's in Thanks for a victory, rather than in resignation.

* Film/{{Titanic}}: a man is heard praying as he scrambles towards the lifeboats. Later, an emergency Mass is given by a priest as the ship starts tilting.

* Happens in the GrandFinale of ''Series/{{Poirot}}'' ("Literature/{{Curtain}}"): [[spoiler:Literature/HerculePoirot is dying of a heart condition, he has just killed the murderer he could not bring to justice through proof, and he has refused to take the amyl nitrite he needs for his heart condition. According to [[WordOfGod David Suchet]], Poirot feels that he is afraid and "wonder[s] whether God will truly ever forgive him for his deeds, and, as a good Catholic, that thought troubles him deeply. For once in his life, Poirot cannot control the events around him." After an ObiWanMoment, as he is bedridden and minutes closer towards his death, he prays to God for {{forgiveness}} and clasps the rosary in his hands while doing so, resulting in DeathEqualsRedemption. [[TearJerker So heartbreaking.]]]]