History Main / StrengthEqualsWorthiness

* In ''WesternAnimation/StarVSTheForcesOfEvil'', women are considered to be the dominant sex on Mewni because they tend to be stronger with magic, and they have the ability to turn into a powerful butterfly-like creature after undergoing a process called "mewberty". On the other hand, men can have magical abilities, but they're rather weak and unfocused. Because of this, only Queens can rule Mewni. The only way for men to gain power legally is they marry a Queen, and even they're considered lesser than the Queen herself. In [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary material]], it's revealed that Queen Skywynne attempted to subvert expectations by encouraging her son, Jushtin the Uncalcuated, to practice magic and naming him her heir to the throne so he can become a good king and a powerful mage like her. However, her subjects didn't like this, and they pressured her into having another child. Once Skywynne turned out to be pregnant with a girl, Jushtin was shortly forced to give up his claim to the throne, resulting in him having weaker innate magic compared to his female relatives.

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* Subverted in ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia''; The first five summons need to be fought before they'll join you, but when the party gets to [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement Luna]], they're ready to have a match with her ("We don't mind if you want to test our strength!") but she decides to simply join them without a fight. Also justified with Volt, who had gone berserk. Once you beat him into submission he calms down and becomes lucid again. ([[TheUnintelligible to a degree]])
* The Divine Danans in ''VideoGame/TreasureOfTheRudra'' need to be defeated to "prove you're worthy of their knowledge". Justified with [[spoiler:Meifa]], who is already willing to ally with you, but in this case strength ''is'' a big deal, since they want to know if you're strong enough to defeat the BigBad.

* In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', the Gorons have become something of a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race]], and equate physical strength with strength of character. Therefore, they refuse to let you help until you beat them in a sumo match ([[FridgeLogic which you win by cheating]]).
* The Barbarian Elders on Mount Arreat in ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}} II: Lord of Destruction''.
* Pretty much the entire premise of unlocking characters in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' (though, in ''Brawl'', many are unlocked as you play through the campaign mode).

* In ''VideoGame/TheReconstruction'', [[spoiler:Moke]] assumes this when he is told he will be put through a "test" by a mysterious stranger; he quickly objects, but it turns out [[SubvertedTrope the test is of a different nature]].
* Catching Franchise/{{Pokemon}} is based on this principle. Pokemon you obtain in a trade won't obey you until you possess the right gym badge since defeating a gym leader takes a lot of strength and skill, which would make you worthy in the Pokemon's eyes.
* The [[spoiler:three Flute]] Guardians in ''VideoGame/{{Solatorobo}}'' operate on this principle, telling Red that if he can't solve their riddles, he must beat them in combat instead. Red, [[HotBlooded being Red]], chooses to fight.
* The sentient Sand Prince Gem in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'' is quite gung-ho about helping the player characters with [[UpgradeArtifact his/its power]], but [[InvokedTrope demands]] that they first prove they can handle his/its power by fighting his/its spirit. Subverted with a hint of FridgeHorror when you meet his/its counterpart the Ice Queen Gem, who doesn't want to help you, who enslaves her/its would-be users, and whom you have to beat into submission before gaining the UpgradeArtifact form.
* In ''VideoGame/UncommonTime'', the elemental spirits all want to "test" the party to determine if they're worthy of receiving the [[PlotCoupon Grand Score]]. Naturally, this means a BossFight. Toward the end of the game, this is {{lampshaded}} as being a part of fairy culture.

* Subverted in ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney''; while Phoenix won his poker game against Zak Gramarye (a rare outcome, as Zak pointed out), Zak was more concerned about Phoenix's [[TellMeHowYouFight play style]]. The previous attorney, [[spoiler:Kristoph Gavin]], had a dangerous ruthless streak that Zak noticed during ''that'' game.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Subverted in ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney''; while Phoenix won his poker game against Zak Gramarye (a rare outcome, as Zak pointed out), Zak was more concerned about Phoenix's [[TellMeHowYouFight play style]]. The previous attorney, [[spoiler:Kristoph Gavin]], had a dangerous ruthless streak that Zak noticed during ''that'' game.
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* WorldOfWarcraft: In the Legion expansion, acquiring some of the artifact weapons works this way. Particularly the protection paladin weapon (a shield called Truthguard). You have to fight the previous wielder of it to prove you are worthy.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemWarriors'': Frederick decides to test Lianna and Rowan's combat prowess to determine if they're worthy enough to receive the Shepards' help.

* As a {{JRPG}} {{homage}}, ''AetheriaEpics'' features this as well (to gain the more powerful summons, Allete has to beat them in battle).

* Catching Franchise/{{Pokemon}} is based on this principle.

* Atalanta of Myth/GreekMythology, who would only [[EngagementChallenge marry a man]] if he could best her in a foot race.

* The guardians of the [[MacGuffin elemental crystals]] in ''Videogame/{{MARDEK}}'' refuse to give you the crystals until you best them in physical combat. Surprisingly, this is is not lampshaded even once!

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:Literature]]
* ''ASongOfIceAndFire'': ''Sweet Lord Of Light'' is this ever averted. Power, particularly of the "raw strength/combat skill" variety, is never an indicator of competence, or even of peoples' respect. The best example is [[TheUsurper Robert Baratheon]], who won the war with strength and charisma but became a ''terrible'' king because all he wanted to be was [[BloodKnight a warrior]], [[AdiposeRex a glutton]] and [[ReallyGetsAround a pervert]].
** Another good example is Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountain Who Rides. He is an eight-foot slab of muscle and psychopathy who wields a zweihänder the way most men wield a dagger and is perfectly capable of bisecting people and breaking a pike wall single-handedly. His greatest claim to fame is the rape and murder of a defenseless woman and her infant son, everyone knows that in spite of his title he is nothing more than a hatchetman, and most people hold the muck under their boots in higher regard.
* Averted in the ''Literature/{{Hurog}}'' duology. Ward is very strong, but that is not what makes people follow him. Instead, he proves his worth by being NiceToTheWaiter and caring about his country. As for supernatural beings, [[spoiler: he earns the loyalty of a dragon by ... being a decent person.]] His father, who was likewise a giant of a man, was ''horrible''.

[[AC:Film - Live Action]]

[[AC:Mythology and Religion]]

* In the ''Literature/{{Ramayana}}'', King Janaka of Mithila offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to any man who can draw the bow he got as a present from the god Shiva. The only one who can is Prince Rama of Ayodhya, who cracks it in half when he tries to fire it.

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''. If you want to use SummonMagic, chances are you're going to have to fight the creature first -- and they'll probably say something along the lines of "you need to prove your strength/worth!" too.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia''; The first five summons need to be fought before they'll join you, but when the party gets to [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement Luna]], they're ready to have a match with her ("We don't mind if you want to test our strength!") but she decides to simply join them without a fight.
** Also justified with Volt, who had gone berserk. Once you beat him into submission he calms down and becomes lucid again. ([[TheUnintelligible to a degree]])
* The Divine Danans in ''TreasureOfTheRudra'' need to be defeated to "prove you're worthy of their knowledge".
** Justified with [[spoiler:Meifa]], who is already willing to ally with you, but in this case strength ''is'' a big deal, since they want to know if you're strong enough to defeat the BigBad.

* The Boreas Seabed mission in ''GuildWars Factions''.
* '''StarOcean''' likes to rub your face in this trope. You have a set of trials to pass, including the Power and Courage trials. Power Trial? Defeat a boss, fair enough. Courage trial? Defeat a boss, ''to prove you have the power to back your courage!'' What the...
** Yes, '''Power''': The RPG universe's gold standard since 1986.
*** The exact same boss, at that...

* Catching {{Pokemon}} is based on this principle.
* The [[spoiler:three Flute]] Guardians in ''{{Solatorobo}}'' operate on this principle, telling Red that if he can't solve their riddles, he must beat them in combat instead. Red, [[HotBlooded being Red]], chooses to fight.

* Subverted in ''ApolloJusticeAceAttorney''; while Phoenix won his poker game against Zak Gramarye (a rare outcome, as Zak pointed out), Zak was more concerned about Phoenix's [[TellMeHowYouFight play style]]. The previous attorney, [[spoiler:Kristoph Gavin]], had a dangerous ruthless streak that Zak noticed during ''that'' game.

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[[AC:Western Animation]]
* Subverted in ''EquestriaGirls''. Rainbow Dash challenges Twilight Sparkle to a soccer game to prove her worthiness to be Fall Formal Princess. Twilight lost, but it turned out to be a [[SecretTestOfCharacter secret test of her heart and determination.]]

* The guardians of the [[MacGuffin elemental crystals]] in ''{{MARDEK}}'' refuse to give you the crystals until you best them in physical combat. Surprisingly, this is is not lampshaded even once!

* Atalanta of GreekMythology, who would only [[EngagementChallenge marry a man]] if he could best her in a foot race.

* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'''s [[BigBadassBirdOfPrey Banshees]] revolve around this. Basically, when a hunter is deemed ready, they travel to a nest of Banshees, and try to form a bond with them. They know they've found the right banshee when it tries to kill them. If the hunter succeeds, the Banshee will ride with that hunter and only that hunter for the rest of its life.

Can be justified if TellMeHowYouFight is involved. May imply a ProudWarriorRaceGuy like mentality or at least SpritedCompetitor tendencies in the being in question.

Can be justified if TellMeHowYouFight is involved. May imply a ProudWarriorRaceGuy like mentality or at least SpritedCompetator tendencies in the being in question.

Can be (somewhat) justified if TellMeHowYouFight is involved.

* ''FinalFantasy''. If you want to use SummonMagic, chances are you're going to have to fight the creature first -- and they'll probably say something along the lines of "you need to prove your strength/worth!" too.

* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'''s [[BigBadassBirdOfPrey Banshees]] revolve around this. Basically, when a hunter is deemed ready, they travel to a nest of Banshees, and try to form a bond with them. They know they've found the right banshee when it tries to kill them. If they succeed, the Banshee will ride with that hunter and only that hunter for the rest of it's life.

[[AC:Mythology/Folklore]]
* Atalanta of GreekMythology, who would only marry a man if he could best her in a foot race.