History Main / ThinkNothingOfIt

-->-- ''[[Literature/TheBible Luke 17:10 NKJV]]''

* From ''Literature/CodexAlera'': "Anyone could have done it." ''Yeah, right'', Bernard.

* In ''Discworld/GuardsGuards!'' Vimes is surprised hearing that he and his men will be rewarded for their efforts to save the city.
-->'''The Patrician:''' Oh, and do bring your men in tomorrow. The city must show its gratitude.
-->'''Vimes:''' It must what?
** When they are told that they can have a reward, his men ask for a small raise, a new tea kettle, and a dartboard (being afraid that they went too far with the last one.)

* Touma Kamijou from ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' and ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'' does good for no reason. He doesn't even care if [[TheGreatestStoryNeverTold he never gets any credit for it]]. Even better, he ''doesn't even have a backstory or personal reason.'' [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler He loses his memories at the end of the first novel]]/[[LateArrivalSpoiler during episode 6]] and saves people for two reasons: a)because that's the right thing to do, and b)to keep his memory loss issue from becoming known. Mostly the former.

--> '''O-Chul''': Thank you once more for all that you have done.
--> '''Vaarsuuvius''': Please, [[TheAtoner do not remind me of all that I have done.]]

** Spike saves Buffy's life in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E7OnceMoreWithFeeling Once More, With Feeling]]". Buffy runs after him, so Spike says she doesn't have to say anything. As they're in a MusicalEpisode, she sings it instead. Followed by a BigDamnKiss.

* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'': "Oh. Well... it's all in a days work for Bicycle Repairman."

** In "[[{{Recap/AngelS05E10SoulPurpose}} Soul Purpose]]", Angel has a dream in which Spike saves the world, and does this as HeroicSelfDeprecation. In ironic contrast the same episode shows the real Spike is more likely to [[GoodIsNotNice give women he saves a lecture]] on [[BrokenHeel not wearing high heels]] in a [[TooDumbToLive dark alley]].
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': [[KnightInSourArmor Sandor Clegane]] refuses to be thanked or complimented for saving [[PrincessClassic Sansa]] from being gang-raped by an angry mob. This is in contrast to the novels where he's angry at Sansa for not going out of her way to thank him (Sansa isn't ungrateful, just scared of Sandor).
* ''{{Series/Smallville}}'': Clark, of course, being {{Superman}} and all. Chloe puts it best:
-->'''Chloe''': [[TheCape I think you are so amazing. You save people's lives and take zero credit for it]]...[[TheParagon If more humans are like you, the world would be a better place.]]
* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'': "Oh. Well... it's all in a days work for Bicycle Repairman."

-->'''Mal:''' "You're in my crew. Why are we still talking about this?"
-->--
-->'''Simon:''' "Mei-Mei, all I have is right here".
-->--
-->'''River:''' "I never thought you'd come for me."\\
'''Simon:''' "Well, you're a dummy."
* In ''Series/BlackAdder's Christmas Carol'', he responds with "Think nothing of it! I, after all, think nothing of ''you''."
* In the ''[[Series/XenaWarriorPrincess Xena: WP]]'' episode "Old Ares Has a Farm", Gabrielle refers to a previous episode where Ares (in an OOC moment) saved her life. Ares, determined to maintain his villainous street cred, partly subverts this trope:
-->'''Gabrielle''': Ares-- when you gave up your immortality to save me and Eve-- that was-- that was quite a sacrifice. Thank you.\\
'''Ares''': If Eve had died - and Xena lost her power to kill gods - then Athena would have killed Xena. So I was saving Eve to save Xena. You were an afterthought.\\
'''Gabrielle''': Thanks, anyway.

* ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles'':
-->'''Ellison:''' "I owed you one. The fire. Silberman's cabin."
-->'''Sarah:''' "Wasn't much."
-->'''Ellison:''' "It was my life."

-->'''[=McCoy=]:''' Spock, er, I know we've, er, had our disagreements. Er, maybe they're jokes, I don't know. As Jim says, we're not often sure ourselves sometimes. But, er... what I'm trying to say is...
-->'''Spock:''' Doctor, I am seeking a means of escape. Will you please be brief?
-->'''[=McCoy=]:''' What I'm trying to say is, you saved my life in the arena.
-->'''Spock:''' Yes, that's quite true.
-->'''[=McCoy=]:''' [Indignant] I'm trying to thank you, you pointed-eared hobgoblin!
-->'''Spock:''' Oh yes, you humans have that emotional need to express gratitude. "You're welcome", I believe is the correct response.

* ''Series/DoctorWho''
** K-9 has been known to say that gratitude is not required.
** Subverted in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E3Frontios Frontios]]," the Doctor and his companions visit a human colony that's so far in the future that the Time Lords (the Doctor's race) would disapprove. At the end, the colony thanks him for saving them, and he tells them, "Don't mention it." His companion Turlough clarifies, "[[IWasNeverHere He means it. Literally.]]" i.e. the Doctor doesn't want the colonists to let the Time Lords find out about it.
** Combined with StealthInsult in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E8LetsKillHitler Let's Kill Hitler]]" when the Doctor finds he's inadvertently saved Hitler's life. "Believe me, it was an accident."
** At the end of "Oxygen", the [[TheLancer most skeptical member]] of the survivors apologizes once the Doctor saves their lives. Unusually for the egotistical Doctor, he gives this trope. It's not false modesty; he's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness covering the extent of his injuries]].
* An inversion in ''Series/ThirtyRock'', where Tracy Jordan tries to get back his bad reputation by causing havoc, until he comes across a man drowning in the Hudson. Tracy is visibly upset and rescues the man, later the man is interviewed by a news network, saying that Tracey had told him not to tell anyone (to avoid further praise).
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. After being dumped by the evil philandering Parker, Buffy is day-dreaming a RescueRomance in which she saves his life from vampires, thus achieving apologies, promises of eternal love, and [[HeartbreakAndIceCream ice cream]].
-->'''Parker:''' Buffy, I don't know what to say. After the way I've treated you, and now I owe you my life.\\
'''Buffy:''' It's nothing.\\
'''Parker:''' It's everything. You're everything. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to get you to forgive me. Do you think that you might--\\
''[Buffy snaps out of it at the sight of Parker chatting up another girl]''
** Hilariously averted later in the same episode after she really does save his life. He ends up giving her a speech very similar to the one in her fantasy, but Buffy is still under the lingering effects of some magic beer that reverted her mind to a "cave man" state, so she just knocks him unconscious with a club instead of saying anything.
** Spike saves Buffy's life in "[[{{Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E7OnceMoreWithFeeling}} Once More, With Feeling]] ". Buffy runs after him, so Spike says she doesn't have to say anything. As they're in a MusicalEpisode, she sings it instead. Followed by a BigDamnKiss.
* ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'' uses this as BookEnds; at the end of both the first and the last episode, a group of schoolchildren thanks the Gokaigers for saving them (and the rest of the planet, in the finale). They respond that they didn't save anyone, the bad guys just got in their way and got taken down, so there's no need for thanks.
* Zaphod Beeblebrox is uncharacteristically impressed by Arthur Dent in ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' when Arthur uses the Infinite Improbability Drive to save the Heart of Gold from being hit by two guided missiles. Arthur says "it was nothing, really". Zaphod takes it literally, says "oh, well then forget about it, then" and goes back to completely ignoring Arthur.
* Happens a fair bit in ''Series/StargateSG1'', what with the TrueCompanions saving each other's lives on a regular basis. One good example occurs when Cam visits Sam in the hospital after he spent most of the episode tending to her while offworld.
-->'''Sam''': Listen, Cam--
-->'''Cam''': Sam. Don't say a word.
* ''Series/PersonOfInterest''.
** In "Judgement" a judge says he doesn't know how to thank Reese for saving his son. As Reese is a MysteriousProtector [[VigilanteMan whose activities are illegal]], he replies; "Don't mention it. In fact, [[IWasNeverHere I'd rather you didn't.]]"
** Subverted in "Dead Reckoning", when Reese thanks Finch for risking his life to defuse the ExplosiveLeash [[spoiler:placed on him by RogueAgent Kate Stanton. But the ending implies Finch was responsible for the events that turned Stanton and Reese against each other,]] so when Finch says "Don't mention it", [[ObliviousGuiltSlinging it's because he feels guilty]].
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': Margaret dumps Frank and goes on a toot. Later in the episode, Hawkeye and Trapper sober her up. In the operating room:
-->'''Margaret:''' Doctor...doctors...I'm grateful to you for helping me.\\
'''Trapper:''' Don't mention it.\\
'''Hawkeye:''' To anyone. We've got reputations to protect.

--> '''Ragueneau''' ''(to Cyrano)'' Know you who might be the hero of the fray?
--> '''Cyrano''' ''(carelessly):'' Not I.

-->'''Auron:''' I suppose I should thank you.
-->'''Sora:''' Not at all.
-->'''Auron:''' Fine.
-->'''Sora:''' I mean, sure, you could thank us a ''little''...
-->'''Auron:''' You should say what you mean.

-->I'm not interested in money or fame... I don't want to be on display like an animal in a zoo. I'm not a hero of mathematics. I'm not even that successful; that is why I don't want to have everybody looking at me."

--> "I don't know why they gave me a commendation. All I wanted was to get back home in one piece."

* ''Film/ThreeAmigos!'' messes with this, lampshades it, and then plays it straight for a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.

* From ''Literature/CodexAlera'': "Anyone could have done it." ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Yeah, right]]'', Bernard.

* ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'': If you're Good/Open Palm/Light Side, you're supposed to shrug off thanks and especially any rewards they offer you. This gets you karma points, and on occasion the same or even a better reward than if you had just accepted. Conversely, the Evil/Closed Fist/Dark Side path is to insist your rescuees give you even more.\\
\\
Most of the time, insisting on more will only get you more money, where you already have MoneyForNothing, whereas the refusal bonuses come as experience or rare items. Probably an effort to encourage the good choices, whatever the [[MoralGuardians reasons]] may [[AnAesop be]].\\
\\

*** There's also the phrase "Forget about it," used by the mafia (and people who like mafia movies) to mean essentially, "Hey, even remembering this favor would be pointless, cause I'll do it again anytime." Sort of a subversion, though, cause the phrase, given the context, can also just as easily mean "fuck off."

* Part of ''Film/{{Hancock}}'''s be-a-better-hero training is telling any law enforcement officials that happen to already be on the scene "Good Job." He's obviously awkward about it the first few times (ie whenever we see in the movie); still gets a pretty positive reaction, though.

* ''Film/ThreeAmigos!'' messes with this, lampshades it, and then plays it straight for a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.

* ''Film/GeorgeOfTheJungle'': "King of Jungle only here to help."

* Amusingly subverted in a scene from ''Film/CharlieWilsonsWar'' when congressman Charlie Wilson first meets the CIA contact Gust Avrakotos. Gust brings him a relatively expensive bottle of scotch as a "thankyou" for doubling the CIA budget for covert ops in Afghanistan.
-->'''Charlie''': Well thank you.
-->'''Gust''': Ah, it was nothing.
-->'''Charlie''': Well it's a nice bottle of scotch, must've been hard to get.
-->'''Gust''': No, doubling the budget was nothing. Ten million dollars for covert ops against the Russian army is meaningless. What are you, an infant?
* In ''Film/TheRocketeer'', at the end, Howard Hughes shows up with [[spoiler:a new airplane]] for Cliff, and leaves before Cliff can collect himself enough to think of asking. Cliff is assured that he saw the look on his face and knows what it means to him.
* ''Film/BestSeller'' is about a hitman who approaches a detective-turned-crime novelist to write his story. At the end of the movie the hitman performs a HeroicSacrifice to save the detective's daughter, so he quips as he's dying, "Don't mention it...except in the book."

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Angel does this. It is much-ridiculed by Spike, who sees it as a cheap act to impress women.
** In "[[{{Recap/AngelS05E10SoulPurpose}} Soul Purpose]]", Angel has a dream in which Spike saves the world, and does this as HeroicSelfDeprecation. In ironic contrast the same episode shows the real Spike is more likely to [[GoodIsNotNice give women he saves a lecture]] on [[BrokenHeel not wearing high heels]] in a dark alley.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Sandor refuses to be thanked or complimented for saving Sansa.

-->'''Margaret:''' Doctor...doctors...I'm grateful for what you did.\\
'''Hawkeye:''' Don't mention it.\\
'''Trapper:''' To anyone. We've got reputations to protect.

** Subverted in "Dead Reckoning", when Reese thanks Finch for risking his life to defuse the ExplosiveLeash [[spoiler:placed on him by RogueAgent Kate Stanton. But the ending implies Finch was responsible for the events that turned Stanton and Reese against each other, so when Finch says "Don't mention it", it's because he feels guilty.]]

* Pops up frequently in the ''ProfessorLayton'' series. After all, helping others, [[CatchPhrase that's just what a gentleman]] ''[[CatchPhrase does]]''.

* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'': To Kenshiro, helping innocent people isn't a duty; it's a right thing to do.

* In ''Webcomic/TheForgottenOrder'', [[http://www.forgottenordercomic.com/?webcomic_post=chp1-pg24 the customers say "don't mention it" about having given her extra money.]]

His response? It may be acted, or spoken, or merely thought, but it's summed up in a Stock Phrase: "ThinkNothingOfIt" or "Don't Mention It". If this is his job, or routine to him, "AllAPartOfTheJob". If they praise him, DismissingACompliment sometimes occurs, and if more tangible gratitude is forthcoming, KeepTheReward will appear.

* In the ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Star Trek]]'' episode " [[{{Recap/StarTrekS2E25BreadAndCircuses}} Bread and Circuses]]" Bones gives Spock a GrudgingThankYou and receives the equivalent of a ThinkNothingOfIt in return.

* It's AllAPartOfTheJob and the constant praise is very wearying.

* He was responsible for the original problem and felt that he MustMakeAmends; gratitude only reminds him of his original guilt.

-->'''Margaret:''' Doctor...doctors...I just want to thank you for what you did for me.\\

'''Trapper:''' To anyone. We've got reputations to uphold.